Hepatitis C 2023 - acute and chronic

Annual report on hepatitis C in Denmark 2023

Hepatitis C is caused by infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV causes liver inflammation that rarely manifests as an acute disease. Most people develop a chronic infection, which is usually not diagnosed until many years after infection. In 2023, the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Prevention received a total of 211 reports of hepatitis C.

Acute hepatitis C

In 2023, six cases of acute hepatitis C were reported, all cases were among men. The median age was 42 years (range 32-60 years), figure 1. Most were presumably infected in Denmark, and the majority were presumably infected through intravenous drug use.

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Chronic hepatitis C

Chronic HCV infection is defined as HCV RNA being detectable in the blood for more than 6 months.

In 2023, 205 cases of chronic hepatitis C were reported, of which 146 (71%) were men. The median age was 50 years (range 25-74 years), figure 1. The median age was the same for both sexes.

The incidence of reported cases of chronic hepatitis C has been decreasing overall from 2004 (seven cases per 100,000 inhabitants) to 2023 (three cases per 100,000 inhabitants), figure 2. The decrease applies to both sexes. However, a slight increase has been seen since 2019.

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Conditions of infection

Presumed country of infection

Presumed country of infection was indicated for 198 (97%) of the reported cases of chronic hepatitis C in 2023. A total of 76% were indicated as presumed infected in Denmark, while 20% were presumed infected abroad and mainly in Europe.

Hepatitis_c_2023_figure3

Mode of transmission

In 2023, a suspected mode of transmission was indicated for 169 cases (82%) of the total of 205 reported cases of chronic hepatitis C.

Intravenous drug use remains the most frequent mode of transmission with 156 cases in 2023. Of these, 139 (89%) were infected in Denmark. In 2023, cases were also reported where the infection was sexually transmitted (< 2%). Five people were reported with nosocomial infection (infection acquired in a hospital environment) abroad.

Hepatitis_c_2023_figure4

This report is also mentioned in EPI-NEWS 47/2024.