Table 2 Characteristics and risk exposures of acute hepatitis C cases and controls by gender, Taiwan, March 2014–December 2016

Age, years, median (range)

42 (17–94)

32 (18–63)

–^a

59 (19–96)

32 (17–63)

–^a

Residents in metropolitan area, n (%)

266 (66.0)

35 (74.5)

0.67 (0.33–1.32)

119 (59.8)

32 (74.4)

0.51 (0.24–1.07)

History of viral hepatitis, n (%)

61 (17.9)

2 (4.6)

4.58 (1.08–19.41)

20 (12.6)

0 (0)

undefined^b

 Hepatitis A

4 (1.0)

0 (0)

undefined

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

 Hepatitis B

46 (11.4)

0 (0)

undefined^b

12 (6.0)

0 (0)

undefined

 Hepatitis C

15 (3.7)

2 (4.3)

0.87 (0.19–3.93)

9 (4.5)

0 (0)

undefined

 Hepatitis D

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

 Hepatitis E

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

History of STIs, n (%)

112 (27.8)

1 (2.1)

17.70 (2.41–129.93)

3 (1.5)

0 (0)

undefined

 Syphilis

52 (12.9)

0 (0)

undefined^b

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

 Gonorrhea

10 (2.5)

0 (0)

undefined

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

 Condyloma accuminatum

7 (1.7)

0 (0)

undefined

1 (0.5)

0 (0)

undefined

 Genital Chlamydia trachomatis

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

 Genital rash

1 (0.3)

0 (0)

undefined

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

 HIV

82 (20.4)

0 (0)

undefined^b

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

Risk exposures in recent 6 months, n (%)

260 (64.5)

28 (59.6)

1.23 (0.67–2.29)

138 (69.5)

24 (55.8)

1.79 (0.91–3.51)

 Condomless sex

91 (22.6)

11 (23.4)

0.95 (0.47–1.95)

19 (9.6)

8 (18.6)

0.46 (0.19–1.14)

 Healthcare-associated risk exposures

160 (39.7)

10 (21.3)

2.43 (1.18–5.04)

119 (59.8)

17 (39.5)

2.28 (1.16–4.46)

  Intravenous infusions

89 (22.1)

2 (4.3)

6.38 (1.52–26.80)

67 (33.7)

9 (21.0)

1.92 (0.87–4.23)

  Dental procedures

49 (12.2)

7 (14.9)

0.79 (0.34–1.86)

37 (18.6)

6 (14.0)

1.41 (0.55–3.58)

  Surgery

24 (6.0)

1 (2.1)

2.91 (0.39–22.04)

23 (11.6)

1 (2.3)

5.49 (0.72–41.80)

  Blood transfusion

18 (4.5)

0 (0)

undefined

20 (10.1)

2 (4.7)

2.29 (0.51–10.19)

  Hemodialysis

22 (5.5)

0 (0)

undefined

17 (8.5)

0 (0)

undefined^b

  Transplant

1 (0.3)

0 (0)

undefined

1 (0.5)

0 (0)

undefined

 Acupuncture

17 (4.2)

2 (4.3)

0.99 (0.22–4.43)

11 (5.5)

2 (4.7)

1.20 (0.26–5.62)

 Sharing razors or tooth brush

16 (4.0)

2 (4.3)

0.93 (0.21–4.18)

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

 Piercing

11 (2.7)

1 (2.1)

1.29 (0.16–10.22)

4 (2.0)

1 (2.3)

0.86 (0.09–7.91)

 People who inject drugs

9 (2.2)

0 (0)

undefined

4 (2.0)

0 (0)

undefined

 Sharing needles or other paraphernalia

3 (0.7)

0 (0)

undefined

1 (0.5)

0 (0)

undefined

 Occupational needle stick injuries

7 (1.7)

0 (0)

undefined

3 (1.5)

2 (4.7)

0.31 (0.05–1.94)

 Non-occupational needle stick injuries

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined

0 (0)

0 (0)

undefined