1. Seroprevalance of Hepatitis C in Turkey (%) (Anti-HCV positivity in donors) Adana (n:8310) Antalya (n:16.410) Bursa (n:16.512) Erzurum (n:24.870) İstanbul (n:108.000) Trabzon (n:22.300) Ankara (n:14.372)

2. Annual Anti-HCV Positivity rate at Istanbul–Çapa Red Crescent Blood Bank Year Total nbr of blood units Seropositive Year Total nbr of blood units Seropositive(%) 1997 73,9590.4 1998 62,7860.6 1999 55,9530.4 2000 51,4600.4 2001 51,0370.4 Overall, 0.3% of 457,240 units from Red Crescent blood banks positive for Anti-HCV.

3. Characteristics of seropositive cases  No difference by sex or educational status  No difference by sex or educational status  Age 18-28 : 0,2%  Age 18-28 : 0,2% 29-30 : 0,3% 29-30 : 0,3% 40-50 : 0,4% 40-50 : 0,4% 51-55 : 0,6% 51-55 : 0,6%  First-time donors : 0,2 %  First-time donors : 0,2 %  Soldiers : 2,4 %  Soldiers : 2,4 %  Professional donors: 20 %  Professional donors: 20 %

4. Anti-HCV Seropositivity in different groups (%)-I Haemodialysis patients (overall 41% positive in 2073 cases) Haemodialysis patients (overall 41% positive in 2073 cases) n% n% Ankara 41834,7 Bursa 11082,8 Adana 18014,4 İstanbul 15036,0 İzmir 8149,3 Diyarbakır5532,7 Kayseri 7632,9 Sivas 6556,9 Trabzon 8020

5. Anti-HCV Seropositivity in different groups (%)-II %  Health personnel (n>3290)0,9  Sex workers (n> 800)4,8  Sex workers (n> 800)4,8  Prisoners3,1  Prisoners3,1  Diabetic patients11,6  Diabetic patients11,6  Hepatocellular carsinoma12,5-29  Hepatocellular carsinoma12,5-29  Renal transplantation12,5-52,7  Renal transplantation12,5-52,7  Cryptogenic cirrhosis26,9  Cryptogenic cirrhosis26,9  Talassemia patients16,6-57,1  Talassemia patients16,6-57,1  IV drug users54,8  IV drug users54,8

6. Diagnostic methods of HCV infections in Turkey Screening : Anti-HCV ELİSA (3rd,4th generation kits)Screening : Anti-HCV ELİSA (3rd,4th generation kits) Monitorization of treatment (HCV –RNA viral load) ; Cobas –Amplicor monitoring / b.DNA-BayerMonitorization of treatment (HCV –RNA viral load) ; Cobas –Amplicor monitoring / b.DNA-Bayer Treatment :INF + Ribavirin Treatment :INF + Ribavirin Genotype distribution : > 70 %: 1bGenotype distribution : > 70 %: 1b

7. Liver cirrhosis in Turkey (%) Years Years Aetiology Aetiology 1983-89 1990-93 1994-97 1983-89 1990-93 1994-97 ( n=616) (n=436) (n=393) ( n=616) (n=436) (n=393) Viral 42,9 56,759,5 Cryptogenic 41,2 22,716,8 Alcoholic 8,9 12,6 10,9 Misc. 7 8 12,8

8. Viral Agents in Liver Cirrhosis (%) 1990-931994-1997 1990-931994-1997 HBV56,5 42,6 HCV25,2 34,5 HDV14,6 15,7 HBV + HCV 3,7 1,2 Alcoholic + Viral __ 6

9. Etiologic Distribution of the Chronic Hepatitis (%) 1991-1994 1994-1997 1991-1994 1994-1997 ( n: 296) (n: 527) ( n: 296) (n: 527) Type B 56 46,5 Type C 23 35 Cryptogenic C.H. 9 8,9 Type B+D 6,8 4,5 Type B+C 3 3 Autoimmune 1,5 1,5 Drug induced 0,7 0,2 B+C+D _ 0,4

10. Summary 1.Hepatitis B still keeps the first place in the etiology of chronic hepatitis in Turkey. 2.The ratio of hepatitis B and D decreases among the other causes of chronic hepatitis. 3.The ratio of hepatitis C increases as a cause of chronic hepatitis. 4.The ratio of crytogenic and autoimmune hepatitis remain the same.