Biomaterial Database

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in New Zealand. 1991

D G Woodfield

Department of Transfusion Medicine, Auckland Regional Blood Services, New Zealand.

Preliminary studies of the seroprevalence of hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) in selected New Zealand populations, reveal similarities to other Western countries. High rates occur in haemophiliacs and intravenous drug users with relatively low rates in routine blood donors. Unlike hepatitis B virus infections anti-HCV does not appear to be more prevalent in Maoris and Pacific Islanders living in New Zealand. Chronic liver disease is associated with anti-HCV. The frequency of anti-HCV in homosexuals and persons attending sexual disease clinics is higher than that found in blood donors. Further detailed studies of the frequency of anti-HCV in New Zealand populations are now required to extend the present baseline data.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009520	New Zealand	A group of islands in the southwest Pacific. Its capital is Wellington. It was discovered by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642 and circumnavigated by Cook in 1769. Colonized in 1840 by the New Zealand Company, it became a British crown colony in 1840 until 1907 when colonial status was terminated. New Zealand is a partly anglicized form of the original Dutch name Nieuw Zeeland, new sea land, possibly with reference to the Dutch province of Zeeland. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p842 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p378)
D006508	Hepatitis Antibodies	Immunoglobulins raised by any form of viral hepatitis; some of these antibodies are used to diagnose the specific kind of hepatitis.	Antibodies, Hepatitis
D006526	Hepatitis C	INFLAMMATION of the LIVER in humans caused by HEPATITIS C VIRUS, a single-stranded RNA virus. Its incubation period is 30-90 days. Hepatitis C is transmitted primarily by contaminated blood parenterally and is often associated with transfusion and intravenous drug abuse. However, in a significant number of cases, the source of hepatitis C infection is unknown.	Hepatitis, Viral, Non-A, Non-B, Parenterally-Transmitted,Parenterally-Transmitted Non-A, Non-B Hepatitis,PT-NANBH,Parenterally Transmitted Non A, Non B Hepatitis
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D015995	Prevalence	The total number of cases of a given disease in a specified population at a designated time. It is differentiated from INCIDENCE, which refers to the number of new cases in the population at a given time.	Period Prevalence,Point Prevalence,Period Prevalences,Point Prevalences,Prevalence, Period,Prevalence, Point,Prevalences
D016036	Seroepidemiologic Studies	EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES based on the detection through serological testing of characteristic change in the serum level of specific ANTIBODIES. Latent subclinical infections and carrier states can thus be detected in addition to clinically overt cases.	Seroprevalence,Seroepidemiologic Study,Seroepidemiological Study,Studies, Seroepidemiologic,Study, Seroepidemiologic,Seroepidemiological Studies,Seroprevalences,Studies, Seroepidemiological,Study, Seroepidemiological