Epidemiological features of Chinese Burmese patients with chronic hepatitis C in the People's Hospital of Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China

WANG Guo-jian; YOU Jing; BAI Jie; DUAN Xing-jun; PAI Yun-zhen; YANG Hong; GAO Zhuo

Abstract：Objective To analyze the epidemiological and clinical data of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province, so as to investigate the epidemiological and clinical features of CHC in Chinese Burmese patients in Dehong Prefecture. Methods The epidemiological features of 172 Chinese Burmese and Chinese CHC patients treated in infectious diseases department of our hospital from Jan. 2009 to Dec. 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. Results Of 172 CHC patients, 88 were males and 84 were females. The age ranged from 14 to 73 years with a mean age of 44.47 ±11.34 years. Of all the patients, 107 were Chinese Burmese, accounting for the largest proportion (62.21%). Of Chinese Burmese patients, 63 were females, and 80 were more than 40 years old. The Chinese Burmese patients were older than the Chinese patients (P<0.05). Sixty-eight Chinese Burmese patients were merchants. The Chinese Burmese patients were mainly infected with HCV through the routes of transmission of nosocomial infection such as injections, blood transfusion and surgery. The Chinese Burmese patients were asymptomatic, and were found to be infected with HCV by making physical examination. The courses of the disease was less than 10 years. The number of the Chinese Burmese CHC patients with HIV infection was less than that of the Chinese CHC patients with HIV infection (7.48%vs. 35.38%, P<0.001). No significant differences in the baseline level of HCV RNA, the occurrence rate of liver cirrhosis and the course of the disease were found between the Chinese Burmese patients and the Chinese patients (P<0.05). Of 26 patients whose genotypes were detected, 17 were Chinese Burmese, 5 with genotype 3b, 4 with genotype 6, 2 with genotype 1b, 1 with genotype 2a, 1 with genotype 3a and 4 unable to be identified. Conclusions The Chinese Burmese CHC patients are characterized by the large proportion of females, the age older than 40 years and merchants, being infected through the routes of transmission of nosocomial infection, and no significant differences in the baseline level of HCV RNA, the occurrence rate of liver cirrhosis and the course of the disease from the Chinese patients. The genotypes of HCV in the Chinese Burmese CHC patients are diverse and are mainly genotype 3, 6 and the ones that can't be identified. The number of the Chinese Burmese patients with HCV/HIV co-infection is less than that of the Chinese patients.