Hepatitis C levels higher among males and African Americans

Participants were originally recruited for the Urban Health Study—a multi-ethnic group of IDUs in San Francisco. Researchers used interview data and biological samples from participants to analyze demographic, viral and host characteristics of cancer-causing viruses. A total of 1701 participants had detectable HCV RNA and were included in the present study. The median age at enrollment was 46 years and median age of first illicit drug injection was 18 years. Close to 75% of participants were men and 56% were African American, 34% European (non-Hispanic) and 7% Latino (non-African American).

Adjusted analysis revealed that age, gender, racial ancestry, HIV-1 infection, and IL28B rs12979860 genotype were all independently associated with the HCV RNA level. “We know that the level of HCV is an important predictor of treatment response and that these levels seem to be influenced by a number of demographic, clinical, viral and human genetic factors,” concludes Dr. O’Brien.

Source: Wiley