HCV infection: a three times higher prevalence insecure people

The prevalence of infection with hepatitis C is 3.5 times higher among insecure people in the rest of the French population, said during a conference at the Ministry of Health Elisabeth Delarocque-Astagneau the National Institute of Health Surveillance (VS).
The data résultas
Dr. Delarocque-Astagneau the department of infectious diseases InVS presented data from several studies on the prevalence, diagnosis and management of hepatitis B and C in a symposium presentation project national fight against viral hepatitis.

According to a study of 14,416 patients by InVS, the prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in the French population aged 18-80 years is 0.74% while it is 2.49% for those socially precarious defined by the fact of having universal health coverage (CMU).

Of 71 patients with acute hepatitis C followed between 2000 and 2004, InVS also notes that 33% were users of intravenous or nasal drug, 29% were exposed to hemodialysis, surgery, endoscopy and 24 % were sexual contact with a positive partner.

Drug use is as the primary risk factor for HCV seroconversion between 1997 and 2001, since multiplying the prevalence of infection by 109, while the invasive radiology multiplied by 11.6 and tattoos and piercings by 2.8.

Increase screening
Elisabeth Delarocque-Astagneau also presented a "barometer doctors" of the National Institute for Prevention and Health Education (INPE) on screening for hepatitis. According to this study, 23.4% of doctors surveyed had prescribed no serology during the month prior to the survey in 1998, against only 7.6% in 2003.

In contrast, in 2003, 26.1% of physicians reported having prescribed ten serology or more months prior to the survey against only 9.1% in 1998.

According to data from the insurance on HCV, 2,173,722 tests were prescribed in 2005 against 2,041,965 in 2004, an increase of over 6%. The proportion of tests prescribed in general practice increased a point between these two years.

InVS has identified access to screening inequalities, highlighting that the rate of detection of anti-HCV antibodies is influenced by the distance of the general practitioner in rural areas.