Objectives: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of acute and chronic liver disease (e.g. cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma). In Belgium, screening recommendations focus on risk groups. However, it is estimated that 50% of the infected patients are undiagnosed. This study assessed the prevalence of HCV in patients visiting two general practices in Flanders, Belgium. We revealed the associated risk factors and explored whether the current recommendations for HCV screening need to be reconsidered. Methods: A cross-sectional study in a non-urban practice in Lendelede and an urban community health center in Ghent, Belgium was performed. Patients for whom a blood test was required, were recruited for HCV screening. A patient survey assessed the associated risk factors.Results: There were 1112 patients included in the study. Nineteen patients were HCV Ab positive (1.71%) and eight were HCV RNA positive (0.72%). Five patients were unaware of their status. Using IV drugs, being born in the baby boom cohort and originating from a non-Belgian low-endemic country are significantly associated with HCV Ab positivity. Four of the 19 HCV Ab positive patients didn't meet any of the registered risk factors. Conclusions: This study confirms the problem of underdiagnosis of HCV, which is both related to the fact that not all risk groups are being screened and to the fact that patients are identified beyond the risk groups. These results, as well as the current changes in treatment options and their reimbursement, justify a reconsideration of the current recommendations for screening of HCV. To develop the most effective screening strategy in Flanders, further research is necessary.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.