Emergent predictors of hepatitis C infection among non-injection drug users.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) presents a significant public health issue, especially among high-risk populations, such as truck drivers, prisoners, people living with HIV, people living with tuberculosis, and people who are homeless. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed the data of 1600 individuals recruited from high-risk populations who denied the use of injection drugs and/or history of blood transfusion to better understand on epidemiology of HCV. RESULTS: The presence of HCV antibodies was independently associated with the following risk factors: age >40years, tattoo or body piercing, sharing of personal care items, and non-injection drug use. CONCLUSIONS: While the use of injection drugs is a prevalent mode of HCV transmission, the findings of this study indicate additional routes that lead to viral transmission among vulnerable populations. Since an HCV vaccine is not currently available, public health and education programs should be developed that specifically target high-risk populations to prevent infection acquisition and secondary transmission.