EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CLINICALLY MANIFESTED ACUTE HEPATITIS C CASES IN GEORGIA.

Hepatitis C virus is responsible for the majority of persistent viral infections of the liver, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and/ or hepatocellular carcinoma. Two strategies are important to curtailing the rising prevalence of disease: efficient diagnosis of acute hepatitis and identification of the likely mode of transmission. The aim of this study was to identify the clinical and epidemiological hallmarks of acute hepatitis C. During 2013-2015, 31 patients were hospitalized with a diagnosis of acute C hepatitis. According to epidemiological data, the primary mode of transmission is during medical procedures, responsible for 14 (45.16%) of cases, followed by injection drug use 3 (9.7%) of cases and sexual transmission - 2 (6.43%) of cases. However, in 12 (38.71%) of cases the infected individual was unable identify the likely source of infection. Given that nearly half of all cases arise from nosocomial infection, it is imperative that infection control practices be reviewed and resources provided to prepare a sterile environment for patients and health care providers.