Hepatitis C virus infection in Canada's First Nations people: A growing problem.

摘要

As of 2007, it was estimated that 240,000 Canadians were chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), with higher rates in certain at-risk populations (1). It is possible that this figure underestimates the prevalence of HCV infection, and other estimates are significantly higher (2,3). Unfortunately, firm data regarding national prevalence are lacking. What is clear is that the greatest risk for acute HCV infection is intravenous drug use, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of new cases in Canada (1). Population-based studies on the incidence and prevalence of HCV infection in Canada are sparse. Despite this, there have been several studies that show higher rates of HCV infection in Aboriginal people; however, these studies have only examined high-risk groups within the Aboriginal community such as incarcerated persons and intravenous drug users.