September/2005

ANSWER 7 =E

Hepatitis C is the answer. Note the discussion in the AFP in “Using Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin to Treat Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C” (http://www.aafp.org/afp/20050815/655.html). HIV only affects about 1% of the general population in the US. Hepatitis A is rather common “South of the border” but not so common in the USA. West Nile Virus is seasonal and the spread is now nationwide but not to the level of hepatitis C