Let’s leverage SARS-CoV2 vaccination to screen for hepatitis C in Spain, in Europe, around the world

Crespo, Javier; Lazarus, Jeffrey V.; Iruzubieta, Paula; García, Féderico; García‐Samaniego, J.

doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2021.03.009

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 9 publications

(3 reference statements)

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“…A modeling study has predicted that a delay of just one year in hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment due to the pandemic could result in 44,800 additional liver cancer cases and 72,300 deaths worldwide by 2030 [ 140 ]. Nevertheless, SARS-CoV-2 testing requirements and the rollout of mass vaccination campaigns offered a unique opportunity to approach large parts of the population and offer screening for viral hepatitis [ 141 , 142 ]. Although several groups have successfully seized this opportunity [ 143 ], efforts to meet the WHO goal of viral elimination should continue without further delay.…”

Section: Effects Of the Covid-19 Pandemic On Incidence And Management...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of COVID-19 on the liver and on the care of patients with chronic liver disease, hepatobiliary cancer, and liver transplantation: An updated EASL position paper

Marjot

Eberhardt

Böettler

et al. 2022

Journal of Hepatology

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Section: Effects Of the Covid-19 Pandemic On Incidence And Management...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of COVID-19 on the liver and on the care of patients with chronic liver disease, hepatobiliary cancer, and liver transplantation: An updated EASL position paper

Marjot

Eberhardt

Böettler

et al. 2022

Journal of Hepatology

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“…Efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake should combine vaccination with education about and detection of other diseases like HCV 43 , 44 and HIV 45 , as well as the hepatitis B virus, and linkage to care, if needed, to maximise the use of each healthcare encounter and mitigate aforementioned factors that hinder disease screening, such as a lack of knowledge and mistrust in the health system 31 , 32 . With regards HCV testing in particular, resources could be further maximised by omitting HCV Ab screening and only testing for HCV-RNA in individuals with a known history of HCV, as those with a previous infection will continue to test HCV Ab+ 2 , which was evident in this study´s results.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combined COVID-19 vaccination and hepatitis C virus screening intervention in marginalised populations in Spain

et al. 2023

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Background COVID-19 has hindered hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV screening, particularly in marginalised groups, who have some of the highest rates of these conditions and lowest rates of COVID-19 vaccination. We assessed the acceptability of combining HCV testing with COVID-19 vaccination in a centre for addiction services (CAS) in Barcelona and a mobile testing unit (MTU) in Madrid, Spain. Methods From 28/09/2021 to 30/06/2022, 187 adults from marginalised populations were offered HCV antibody (Ab) testing along with COVID-19 vaccination. If HCV Ab+, they were tested for HCV-RNA. MTU participants were also screened for HIV. HCV-RNA+ and HIV+ participants were offered treatment. Data were analysed descriptively. Results Findings show how of the 86 CAS participants: 80 (93%) had been previously vaccinated for COVID-19, of whom 72 (90%) had the full first round schedule; none had a COVID-19 vaccine booster and all received a COVID-19 vaccine; 54 (62.8%) were tested for HCV Ab, of whom 17 (31.5%) were positive, of whom all were tested for HCV-RNA and none were positive. Of the 101 MTU participants: none had been vaccinated for COVID-19 and all received a COVID-19 vaccine; all were tested for HCV Ab and HIV and 15 (14.9%) and 9 (8.9%) were positive, respectively; of those HCV Ab+, 9 (60%) were HCV-RNA+, of whom 8 (88.9%) have started treatment; 5 (55.6%) of those HIV+ had abandoned antiretroviral therapy, of whom 3 (60%) have re-started it. Conclusions The intervention was accepted by 54 (62.8%) CAS participants and all MTU participants and can be used in marginalised communities.

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“…Subsequently, the time frame for carrying out this activity was extended to December 2023, mainly due to impediments related to the pandemic [31]. Meanwhile (2021-2022), as was previously suggested and recommended [7,32,33], the pandemic itself was exploited to the advantage of HCV testing, that is to say SARS-CoV-2 testing or vaccination were leveraged for a concomitant HCV screening in the general population. Programs of this type were conducted in northern and southern Italy and documented a lower-than-expected prevalence of infection in the target age group [34][35][36][37].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Country-Wide HCV Elimination Strategies Need to Reach Older Patients in the General Population: The Italian Experience

Torre,

Coppola,

Masarone

et al. 2023

Viruses

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HCV infection is still a major burden worldwide, and most countries are not on track to meet the WHO 2030 elimination goal. The current challenge is to identify individuals to be treated. In this study, we will describe the trend of new DAA prescriptions and the changes over time in terms of the characteristics of patients starting antiviral therapy in our unit. Data of 1646 hepatitis C patients who started therapy during the period of 2015–2022 regarding annual number of prescriptions, age, gender, nationality, HCV genotype, provenance, and liver disease severity were analyzed. We observed a peak in the number of new prescriptions in 2018 and a downward trend starting in 2019. Patients from the general population, centers for addictions, and prison differed significantly. The mean age in the general population remained above 60 years, the percentage of patients from centers for addictions and prison increased and, after 2016, there was no significant change in the percentage of patients with F3–F4 fibrosis. As HCV screening and linkage-to-care pathways seem to be already well implemented and successful in centers for addictions and in prisons, efforts need to be focused on those of older age in the general population. To carry this out, the more structured involvement of different health professionals must be figured out.

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Let’s leverage SARS-CoV2 vaccination to screen for hepatitis C in Spain, in Europe, around the world

Cited by 5 publications

References 9 publications

Impact of COVID-19 on the liver and on the care of patients with chronic liver disease, hepatobiliary cancer, and liver transplantation: An updated EASL position paper

Impact of COVID-19 on the liver and on the care of patients with chronic liver disease, hepatobiliary cancer, and liver transplantation: An updated EASL position paper

Combined COVID-19 vaccination and hepatitis C virus screening intervention in marginalised populations in Spain

Country-Wide HCV Elimination Strategies Need to Reach Older Patients in the General Population: The Italian Experience

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