Hepatitis C prevalence in persons with mental retardation

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is globally prevalent since its 1989 identification.
• Limited data existed on HCV prevalence within institutions for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
• A study was thus conducted in Israel to address this knowledge gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among individuals residing in institutions for the mentally retarded in Israel.
• To compare HCV prevalence in this population with the general Israeli population.
• To assess the public health significance of HCV in institutionalized individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study was conducted in four institutions in central Israel, serving individuals from the Division for the Mentally Retarded.
• Blood samples were collected during routine examinations from 251 subjects.
• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies were detected using microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA).

Main Results:

• The study included 251 subjects with varying degrees of intellectual disability (mild to profound) and age groups.
• Two subjects (0.8%) tested positive for antibodies to Hepatitis C virus (HCV).
• The prevalence of HCV antibodies was 0.8% across the four selected institutions.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Israeli institutions for the mentally retarded (0.8%) is comparable to the general population (0.5%).
• International studies suggest a similar low prevalence in similar institutions globally.
• HCV does not appear to be a significant public health issue in institutions for the mentally retarded.