Background: The newly diagnosed rate of HCV infection is increasing in China. However, the risk factors have not been fully identified. Here, a survey was performed in Yanbian Prefecture, a high-endemic area in China.
Methods: We identified newly diagnosed HCV infection in 2007-2011, using the local National Disease Supervision Information Management System from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. We determined the risk factors using a case-control survey by questionnaire.
Results: Yanbian Prefecture had a rapid increase in the yearly newly diagnosed rate of HCV infection from 32.6 to 72.1/100.000 from the year 2007 to 2011. People aged 50-64 years had a high HCV infection of 43.4%, but only 0.3% of cases were reported in those aged less than 20 years. Cosmetic treatment, family history, blood transfusion, and dental treatment were independent risk factors for HCV infection. Unexpectedly, cosmetic treatments [odd ratio (OR) = 5.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.31-11.48, P = 0.00] and family history (OR = 4.68, 95% CI = 2.67-8.75, P = 0.00) showed a higher risk than the conventional risk factors of blood transfusion (OR = 4.49, 95% CI = 1.95-10.37, P = 0.001) and dental treatment (OR = 2.98, 95% CI = 1.42-6.25, P = 0.00). To further analyze the intrafamilial transmission, we found that spouses of HCV patients had an increased risk for acquiring HCV (OR = 5.75, 95% CI: 1.94-17.07), without significant association between either HCV RNA viral load (P = 0.29) or genotype (P = 0.43).
Conclusions: HCV infection was increased in Yanbian Prefecture. Cosmetic treatment was a higher risk factor than medical procedure. HCV infection had a clear family clustering phenomenon, especially between spouses.