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Temporal Changes in the Modes of Hepatitis C Virus Transmission in the USA and Northern China

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Abstract

Background

Predominant modes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission vary between countries and over time.

Aims

To compare HCV transmission modes in the USA and northern China.

Methods

We conducted a prospective study enrolling two cohorts of chronic HCV patients in the USA, and in China at Beijing, and at Gu’an and Kuancheng counties in Hebei. Patients self-reported the most likely source and year of infection.

Results

A total of 1957 patients were studied (1000 USA; 957 China—428 Beijing, 387 Gu’an, 142 Kuancheng). The predominant infection sources were transfusion (23.0%) and injection drug use (IDU) (32.1%) in the USA and transfusion (64.5%) in northern China. Within China, transfusion was the most common source in Beijing (62.1%) and Gu’an (88.1%), and medical procedures (35.9%) and IDU (12.0%) in Kuancheng. Infection via transfusion decreased significantly in the USA (35.1–4.6%) and Beijing (84.2–14.3%) but remained frequent in Gu’an (90.5–72.5%) over time. Infection via IDU decreased from 32.4% in those ≥61 years to 25.0% in those 41–50 years but increased to 46.5% in those ≤40 years in US patients and decreased over time from 38.7 to 1.9% in Kuancheng. Infection via medical procedures increased over time in Beijing (7.0–33.3%) and remained frequent in Kuancheng (45.2–31.1%).

Conclusions

There are major differences in presumed HCV infection source between the USA and northern China. Favorable as well as worrisome changes in the modes of HCV transmission in both countries were observed.

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Acknowledgments

The study was funded by the University of Michigan Health System and Peking University Health Science Center Joint Institute for Translational and Clinical Research, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Elizabeth Wu and Ming Yang have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan Health System, 1500 E Medical Center Drive, 3912 Taubman Center, SPC 5362, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Elizabeth Wu, Sherry Fu, Robert J. Fontana & Anna S. Lok

  2. Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, 11 South Xizhimen St, Beijing, 100044, China

    Ming Yang, Huiying Rao, Bo Feng, Ran Fei & Lai Wei

  3. The Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, 205 Zina Pitcher Pl, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Andy Lin

Authors
  1. Elizabeth Wu
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  2. Ming Yang
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  3. Huiying Rao
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  4. Sherry Fu
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  5. Bo Feng
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  6. Ran Fei
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  7. Andy Lin
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  8. Robert J. Fontana
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  9. Lai Wei
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  10. Anna S. Lok
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anna S. Lok.

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Conflict of interest

ASL has received research grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Gilead. LW has received research grants from Roche and Bristol-Myers Squibb and has served as an advisor for Gilead and Abbott. RJF has received research grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead and Janssen. Other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Wu, E., Yang, M., Rao, H. et al. Temporal Changes in the Modes of Hepatitis C Virus Transmission in the USA and Northern China. Dig Dis Sci 62, 2141–2149 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-017-4619-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-017-4619-6

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