Volume 28, Number 1—January 2022
Research Letter
Unexpectedly High Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection, Southern Laos
Antony P. Black1
, Vilaysone Khounvisith1, Kinnaly Xaydalasouk1, Kong Sayasinh, Aurelie Sausy, Claude P. Muller, and Judith M. Hübschen
, Vilaysone Khounvisith1, Kinnaly Xaydalasouk1, Kong Sayasinh, Aurelie Sausy, Claude P. Muller, and Judith M. Hübschen
Table
Bivariate and multivariate analysis of HCV antibody positive cases, Laos, May 2017–March 2019*
| Variable |
Positive no./total no. (%) |
Bivariate |
Multivariate |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OR (95% CI) |
p value |
OR (95% CI) |
p value |
|||
| Sex | ||||||
| F | 42/417 (10.1) | Referent | NA | Referent | NA | |
| M |
46/336 (13.7) |
1.4 (0.9–2.2) |
0.126 |
1.5 (0.9–2.6) |
0.08 |
|
| Age group, y | ||||||
| <30 | 18/403 (4.5) | Referent | Referent | NA | ||
| >30 |
70/350 (20) |
5.3 (3.1–9.2) |
<0.001 |
4.2 (2.1–8.5) |
<0.001 |
|
| District† | ||||||
| Lao Ngarm | 7/207 (3.4) | Referent | NA | NA | ||
| Saravan | 9/190 (4.7) | 1.4 (0.5–3.9) | 0.495 | NA | NA | |
| Samuoi‡ | 62/254 (24.4) | 9.2 (4.1–20.7) | <0.001 | NS | NS | |
| Ta Oi | 8/67 (11.9) | 3.9 (1.3–11.1) | 0.012 | NS | NS | |
| Toomlarn | 2/25 (8) | 2.5 (0.5–12.7) | 0.274 | NA | NA | |
| Vapy | 0/5 (0) | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| Khongxedone | 0/2 (0) | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| Lakhonepheng |
0/3 (0) |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
|
| Marital status | ||||||
| Single | 7/268 (2.6) | Referent | NA | Referent | NA | |
| Married or other |
81/485 (16.7) |
7.5 (3.4–16.4) |
<0.001 |
2.7 (1.0–7.3) |
0.04 |
|
| Occupation | ||||||
| Student or other | 7/231 (3) | Referent | NA | NA | NA | |
| Employee | 14/67 (20.9) | 8.5 (3.3–21.9) | <0.001 | NS | NS | |
| Farmer |
67/455 (14.7) |
5.5 (2.5–12.2) |
<0.001 |
NS |
NS |
|
| Ethnicity | ||||||
| Non-Pako | 22/488(4.5) | Referent | NA | Referent | NA | |
| Pako |
66/265 (24.9) |
7 (4.2–11.7) |
<0.001 |
5.1 (2.7–9.7) |
<0.001 |
|
| Religion | ||||||
| Buddhist or other | 7/258 (2.7) | Referent | NA | Referent | NA | |
| Animism |
81/495 (16.4) |
7 (3.2–15.4) |
<0.001 |
3 (1.2–7.6) |
0.02 |
|
| Place of birth | ||||||
| At hospital or unknown | 57/440 (12.9) | Referent | NA | NA | NA | |
| At home |
31/313 (9.9) |
0.7 (0.4–1.2) |
0.2 |
NA |
NA |
|
| Diagnosis | ||||||
| Hepatitis non-related or unknown | 86/702 (12.3) | Referent | NA | Referent | NA | |
| Related to hepatitis | 2/51 (3.9) | 0.2 (0.1–1.2) | 0.09 | 0.2 (0.1–1.1) | 0.07 | |
*NA, not applicable; NS, not significant; OR, odds ratio. †District was not included in the multivariate analysis because it reduced the power of the model. ‡Samuoi district correlated strongly with Pako ethnicity (Pearson correlation coefficient, R = 0.48, p<0.001).
1These authors contributed equally to this manuscript.
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