Table 1 Characteristics and risk exposures of acute hepatitis C cases and controls, Taiwan, March 2014–December 2016

Age, years, median (range)

48 (17–96)

32 (17–63)

– ^a

Gender, male, n (%)

403 (66.9)

47 (52.2)

1.85 (1.18–2.90)

Residents in metropolitan area, n (%)

385 (64.0)

67 (74.4)

0.61 (0.37–1.01)

History of viral hepatitis, n (%)

81 (16.2)

2 (2.4)

7.93 (1.91–32.88)

 Hepatitis A

4 (0.7)

0 (0)

undefined

 Hepatitis B

58 (9.6)

0 (0)

undefined^b

 Hepatitis C

24 (4.0)

2 (2.2)

1.83 (0.42–7.87)

 Hepatitis D

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

 Hepatitis E

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

History of STIs, n (%)

115 (19.1)

1 (1.1)

21.02 (2.90–152.43)^b

 Syphilis

52 (8.6)

0 (0)

undefined^b

 Gonorrhea

10 (1.7)

0 (0)

undefined

 Condyloma accuminatum

8 (1.3)

0 (0)

undefined

 Genital Chlamydia trachomatis

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

 Genital rash

1 (0.2)

0 (0)

undefined

 HIV

82 (13.6)

0 (0)

undefined^b

Risk exposures in recent 6 months, n (%)

398 (66.1)

52 (57.8)

1.43 (0.91–2.24)

 Condomless sex

110 (18.3)

19 (21.1)

0.84 (0.48–1.44)

 Healthcare-associated risk exposures

279 (46.4)

27 (30.0)

2.02 (1.25–3.25)

  Intravenous infusions

156 (25.9)

11 (12.2)

2.51 (1.30–4.84)

  Dental procedures

86 (14.3)

13 (14.4)

0.99 (0.53–1.85)

  Surgery

47 (7.8)

2 (2.2)

3.73 (0.89–15.62)

  Blood transfusion

38 (6.3)

2 (2.2)

2.96 (0.70–12.51)

  Hemodialysis

39 (6.5)

0 (0)

undefined^b

  Transplant

2 (0.3)

0 (0)

undefined

 Acupuncture

28 (4.7)

4 (4.4)

1.05 (0.36–3.06)

 Sharing razors or tooth brush

16 (2.7)

2 (12.2)

1.20 (0.27–5.31)

 Piercing

15 (2.5)

2 (2.2)

1.12 (0.25–5.00)

 People who injected drugs

13 (2.2)

0 (0)

undefined

 Sharing needles or other paraphernalia

4 (0.7)

0 (0)

undefined

 Occupational needle stick injuries

10 (1.7)

2 (2.2)

0.74 (0.16–3.45)

 Non-occupational needle stick injuries

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined