Vilibic-Cavlek T, Kucinar J, Kaic B, Vilibic M, Pandak N, Barbic L, Stevanovic V, Vranes J. Epidemiology of hepatitis C in Croatia in the European context. World J Gastroenterol 2015; 21(32): 9476-9493 [PMID: 26327756 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i32.9476]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek, MD, PhD, Department of Virology, Croatian National Institute of Public Health and School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Rockefellerova 12, Zagreb 10000, Croatia. tatjana.vilibic-cavlek@hzjz.hr
Research Domain of This Article
Infectious Diseases
Article-Type of This Article
Topic Highlight
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Vilibic-Cavlek T, Kucinar J, Kaic B, Vilibic M, Pandak N, Barbic L, Stevanovic V, Vranes J. Epidemiology of hepatitis C in Croatia in the European context. World J Gastroenterol 2015; 21(32): 9476-9493 [PMID: 26327756 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i32.9476]
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 28, 2015; 21(32): 9476-9493 Published online Aug 28, 2015. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i32.9476
Epidemiology of hepatitis C in Croatia in the European context
Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek, Jasmina Kucinar, Bernard Kaic, Maja Vilibic, Nenad Pandak, Ljubo Barbic, Vladimir Stevanovic, Jasmina Vranes
Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek, Department of Virology, Croatian National Institute of Public Health and School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Jasmina Kucinar, Department of Microbiology, Istria County Institute of Public Health, Pula 52100, Croatia
Bernard Kaic, Department of Epidemiology, Croatian National Institute of Public Health, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Maja Vilibic, Vrapce University Psychiatric Hospital, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Nenad Pandak, Department of Infectious Diseases, General Hospital “Dr Josip Bencevic”, Slavonski Brod 35000, Croatia and School of Medicine University of Osijek, Osijek 31000, Croatia
Ljubo Barbic, Vladimir Stevanovic, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Jasmina Vranes, Department of Microbiology, Public Health Institute “Dr Andrija Stampar” and School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Author contributions: Vilibic-Cavlek T made contributions to conception and design of the study, acquisition of the data, involved in drafting the manuscript; Kaic B and Vranes J made contributions to design, involved in drafting and revising the manuscript critically; Kucinar J, Vilibic M, Barbic L, Pandak N and Stevanovic V made contributions in acquisition of the data, involved in drafting the manuscript; all authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Authors reported no conflict of interests.
Correspondence to: Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek, MD, PhD, Department of Virology, Croatian National Institute of Public Health and School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Rockefellerova 12, Zagreb 10000, Croatia. tatjana.vilibic-cavlek@hzjz.hr
Telephone: +385-1-4863238
Received: April 21, 2015 Peer-review started: April 23, 2015 First decision: May 18, 2015 Revised: June 3, 2015 Accepted: July 18, 2015 Article in press: July 18, 2015 Published online: August 28, 2015 Processing time: 128 Days and 21.3 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: As in other European countries, epidemiology of hepatitis C has changed in Croatia in last few decades. In addition, changes in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype distribution were observed due to changes in prevailing routes of transmission. Although a decline in HCV prevalence was observed in some risk groups (polytransfused and hemodialysis patients), HCV prevalence is still high in injecting drug users (IDUs) (29%-65%), reaching 100% in older injectors and those reporting sharing injection equipment. In addition, a high HCV prevalence (8.3%-44%) was found in Croatian prisoners reflecting high proportion of IDUs within this population group. Since IDUs represent a group with the highest risk for HCV, strategies to reduce risk among IDUs should be considered.
