Loading...
The incidence of and risk factors for acute hepatitis C infection have evolved since 1982, when it was known as non-A, non-B hepatitis — the virus was identified in 1989. CDC researchers used a nationwide population-representative surveillance system of six U.S. counties to track hepatitis C infection incidence data during three periods: 1982–1989 (period A), 1990–1993 (B), and 1994–2006 (C).
Overall infection incidence per 100,000 people declined from 7.4 in period A to 0.7 in period C. Among various racial and ethnic groups, the highest incidence was among Hispanics during all periods (20.5/100,000 people in A, declining to 1.2 in C). In detailed interviews with 84% of 2075 patients with acute hepatitis C infections, injection-drug use (ID…