Abstract
Robust data on hepatitis C virus (HCV) population prevalence are essential to inform national HCV services. In 2016, we undertook a survey to estimate HCV prevalence among the adult population in Ireland. We used anonymised residual sera available at the National Virus Reference Laboratory. We selected a random sample comprising persons ≥ 18 years with probability proportional to the general population age-sex distribution. Anti-HCV and HCV Ag were determined using the Architect anti-HCV and HCV Ag assays. Fifty-three of 3,795 specimens were seropositive (age-sex-area weighted seroprevalence 0.98% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.73–1.3%)). Thirty-three specimens were HCV-antigen and antibody-positive (age-sex-area weighted prevalence of chronic infection 0.57% (95% CI: 0.40–0.81%)). The prevalence of chronic infection was higher in men (0.91%; 95% CI: 0.61–1.4%), in specimens from the east of the country (1.4%; 95%CI: 0.99–2.0%), and among persons aged 30–39 years and 40–49 years (1.1% (95% CI: 0.59–2.0%) and 1.1% (95% CI: 0.64–1.9%) respectively). Ireland ranks at the lower end of the spectrum of prevalence of chronic HCV infection internationally. Men born between 1965 and 1984 from the east of the country have the highest rate of chronic HCV infection.
Highlights
Acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is typically asymptomatic or associated with non-specific symptoms
No chronic infections were noted in the 18–29 years age group for either sex, and overall, the highest prevalence of chronic infection was in men aged 40–49 years in Health Service Executive (HSE)-East (5.2%; 95% CI: 2.8–9.3%) and in men aged 30–39 years in HSE-East (3.5%; 95% CI: 1.8–6.9%)
This is the first HCV population prevalence study to have been undertaken in Ireland
Summary
Acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is typically asymptomatic or associated with non-specific symptoms. Initiatives in Ireland include the formal establishment in 2015 by the Health Service Executive (HSE) of a National Hepatitis C Treatment Programme for known HCV-infected individuals [8]. A Guideline Development Group was convened by the HSE to develop national HCV screening guidelines to identify HCV-infected individuals who are currently unaware of their HCV status. For these approaches to be successful, the availability of robust data on population HCV seroprevalence is key, a fact recognised both by the Irish National Hepatitis C Strategy 2011–2014 [9], and likewise in December 2015, by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) [10].
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