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Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique logoLink to Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique
. 1997 Mar 1;88(2):91–94. doi: 10.1007/BF03403868

Hepatitis C in Prince Edward Island: A Descriptive Review of Reported Cases, 1990–1995

Elizabeth Stratton 15,✉, Lamont Sweet 25, Arleen Latorraca-Walsh 25, Paul R Gully 35
PMCID: PMC6990252  PMID: 9170686

Abstract

Introduction: The prevalence of hepatitis C in Canada is not known. There is limited information on most small area populations such as Prince Edward Island.

Methods: A retrospective approach was used to obtain detailed information on all cases of hepatitis C identified in Prince Edward Island from December 1990 to September 1995. Cases were reviewed for demographic, clinical and risk factor information, including blood donation and transfusion histories.

Results: There were 54 RIBA confirmed cases of hepatitis C infection included in the Prince Edward Island Hepatitis C Database, of which 38 (70%) were males. Age ranged from 18 to 76 years, with a mean age of 38 years. Twenty-eight (52%) of the cases had a history of injection drug use, and 24 (44%) had received blood or blood products in the past. There were five cases with neither of these risk factors identified.

Discussion: The results suggest that, in this small, primarily rural population, injection drug use is the most common means of hepatitis C transmission, followed by receipt of blood or blood products.

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