Epidemiological patterns of viral hepatitis in lithuania and european union

Objective. To describe epidemiological patterns of viral hepatitis in European Union and Lithuania and assess knowledge of the population about prevalence, risk and prevention of viral hepatitis. Tasks. To describe epidemiological patterns of viral hepatitis A, B and C in European Union countries; to identify epidemiological patterns of viral hepatitis in Lithuania in a period of 2007-2016; to assess knowledge of the adult Lithuanian population about prevalence, modes of transmission, risk, treatment and prevention of viral hepatitis A, B and C. Methods. The descriptive epidemiological analysis was performed, have been used data of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the Centre for Communicable Diseases and AIDS and the Statistics Department of Lithuania. Also was performed a questionnaire survey among employees of municipalities of Lithuania (n=194). A simple linear model of regression using logarithm of the yearly rates, Wilcoxon signed rank and test for paired groups, Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance, Edwards‘s, Rachet, Hewitt‘s and chi square, Fisher‘s exact tests were applied for the analysis. Results. Hepatitis C made up the bigger part in the structure of viral hepatite‘s in European Union (49,3%). Men are at a higher risk to contract viral hepatitis than women. The main risk group for VHA consists of people of 5-14 years, hepatitis B and C – 22-44 years of age. The main mode of chronic hepatitis B transmission in EU in 2014 was perinatal, acute VHB – heterosexual intercourse, common mode of transmission for hepatitis C was injecting drug use. The seasonal growth of VHA incidence rate was observed from September to December. In Lithuania in 2007-2016 incidence rates of hepatitis A and C was changing slightly, except for 2012-2013, when there was VHA outbreak in Vilnius, the incidence of VHB has the tendency to drop 11,8 percent per year (95% C.I.: -16,8; -6,5, p=0,002). Men have higher risk to get viral hepatitis than women (95% C.I. 1,27; 1,70, p