Study: Czech incidence of hepatitis C eight times higher than previously believed

The incidence of hepatitis C in the Czech Republic is far higher than previously thought. That’s according to the results of a new study, which suggests that more than 80,000 people in the country may have a chronic form of the disease without even being aware of it.

Photo: gameanna / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Hepatitis C primarily affects the liver and during the initial infection period sufferers often have mild symptoms or none at all. But in time the disease can lead to liver disease and even cirrhosis.

A new study by the Faculty of Military Medicine at the Czech Army’s University of Defence in Hradec Králové has found that here in the Czech Republic Hepatitis C may be far more widespread than previously believed.

Experts had estimated incidence at around 10,000. However, the report puts the number suffering from chronic Hepatitis C at over 80,000. Many of those infected are unaware of the fact and could pass it on to others.

The man behind the study, Professor Roman Chlíbek, says adults ranging from 18 to 90 were tested.

Roman Chlíbek, photo: Adam Kebrt

“We call it ‘from the street’ – meaning we carried out tests on the regular population. There were people with high-risk behaviour, those without high-risk behaviour, and a certain number of needle using drug addicts. By examining their blood we came up with figures that are at least eight times higher than those officially recorded in 2001. We found that 1.67 percent of the population have signs of the hepatitis C virus and 0.93 percent have chronic hepatitis C.”

Among those most at risk are intravenous drug users and those who have been tattooed using unsterilised equipment.

A particular risk group are people who had blood transfusions prior to the year 1992, when the hepatitis C virus was not known.

Professor Chlíbek says identifying the disease is complicated by the fact that many sufferers are unaware of the fact.

Photo: Filip Jandourek

“One can have hepatitis C for decades without any symptoms whatever. The first symptom can be liver problems such as cirrhosis, which can result in cancer of the liver. Hepatitis C is the main reason for liver transplants in the Czech Republic. Many sufferers were unaware of the fact that they had hepatitis C. We are therefore convinced that the incidence of the disease is far higher in the Czech Republic than was previously believed.”

Symptoms include tiredness, sleep disorders and loss of appetite. There is no vaccine against the disease but treatment is said to be effective in up to 80 percent of cases of chronic infection.