Objective:To investigate the prevalence of HCV infection and risk factors among paid blood donors in rural area of Jiangsu Province. Methods:Questionnaires and ultrasound examination were administered,and 5 mL blood sample of each subject was collected to detect HCV anti-body,HCV-RNA,and other biochemical indicators. EpiData and SPSS were used for statistical analysis of risk factors. Results:The prevalence of HCV infection among these paid blood donors was 65.3%(510/781),including 70.6% (360/510) of chronic infection and 29.4% (150/510) of spontaneous clearance. The dominant genotypes of HCV are 1b and 1b+3 mixed. The abnormal rate of ALT,AST,and GGT are highest in the group of chronic infection. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that sex,history of donating blood,and history of donating plasma were the risk factors of HCV infection (OR=1.50-2.27,and 3.27,respectively). Age was a risk factor for chronicity of HCV infection with OR of 1.62. Conclusion:The prevalence of HCV infection among the paid blood donors was higher than that of general population due to illegal blood donation,especially donating plasma.