This is a study of the differences in the risk factors for being either hepatitis B surface antigen positive [HBsAg (+) ] or antibody to hepatitis C virus positive [Anti-HCV (+) ] in A-Lein, a rural area in southern Taiwan, an area which also has a high hepatoma mortality rate.

Three hundred eighty-five patients age =40 years participated in hepatoma screening at the A-Lein Community Health Center during 1995.

Those who were HBsAg (-) and anti-HCV (-) or had coinfection of HBsAg (+) and anti-HCV (+) were excluded, leaving 293 patients : 109 HBsAg (+) and 184 anti-HCV (+). The anti-HCV (+) patients had a lower socioeconomic status (as defined by level of education and type of occupation) and were older than HBsAg (+) patients (P<0.05).

Those with higher alanine aminotransferase levels (ALT) also had a higher anti-HCV (+) to HBsAg (+) odds ratio (OR), and a dose response relationship was found, P<0.0001.

Anti-HCV (+) patients were more likely than HBsAg (+) patients to have a spouse who shared the infection, OR=5.11 ; 95% Cl, 2.30-11.28.

Anti-HCV (+) patients were more likely than HBsAg (+) patients to have had blood transfusions (OR=2.66 ; 95% Cl, 1.20-5.89), frequent medical injections (OR=2.64 ; 95% Cl, 1.62-4.31), or injections by non-licensed medical providers (OR=1.91 ; 95% Cl, 1.18-3.09).

Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the significant factors for anti-HCV (+) patients vs.

HBsAg (+) patients are drinking habit (OR=3.45 ; 95% Cl, 1.02-11. (...)