anti-HCV Antibodies Research Articles

Hepatitis C Knowledge and Self-Reported Testing Behavior in the General Population in China: Online Cross-Sectional Survey.

The World Health Organization has proposed a worldwide target of eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030. A better understanding of HCV, testing behaviors, and associated factors in the general population is essential. This study aimed to assess HCV knowledge, self-reported HCV testing behavior, and willingness to undergo HCV screening in the general Chinese population. A cross-sectional online survey of the general Chinese population aged ≥15 years was conducted from November 2021 to May 2023. Participant characteristics were assessed based on their knowledge level and uptake of HCV testing. Participants ever having heard of HCV were recognized as being aware of HCV and asked additional HCV knowledge questions using a brief, validated 9-item scale. Participants with 0-3 points and who were unaware of HCV were categorized as having poor knowledge, and those with 4-6 points and 7 points were categorized as having fair and good knowledge, respectively. Participant uptake of HCV testing, testing results, reasons for undergoing or not undergoing HCV testing, and willingness to undergo HCV screening were collected through self-reports. Ordinal and binary logistic regression analyses were used to assess factors associated with the HCV knowledge level and the uptake of HCV testing, respectively. A total of 1491 valid participants' questionnaires were included. Of these, 714 (47.6%) participants were aware of HCV. The proportion of participants with poor, fair, and good HCV knowledge was 63.4% (945/1491), 9.3% (139/1491), and 27.3% (407/1491), respectively. A total of 465 (31.2%) participants reported ever undergoing HCV testing, and 4 (0.9%) were anti-HCV antibody positive. Most participants were tested for HCV following blood donation (353/465, 75.9%). The most common reasons for not undergoing HCV screening were a lack of HCV awareness (665/1026, 64.8%), followed by a low self-perceived risk of infection (176/1026, 17.2%). Of 1026 participants who had never undergone HCV testing, 937 (91.3%) were willing to undergo HCV screening if universal screening was provided at no cost. The HCV knowledge level was positively associated with the HCV testing rate. Participants who were less educated, lived in rural areas, resided in West China, and were currently alcohol drinkers had lower HCV knowledge and reduced odds of having undergone HCV testing. In contrast, participants with a blood donation history and a family history of hepatitis B virus or HCV infection had higher HCV knowledge and increased odds of prior testing. Participants aged ≥60 years had lower knowledge, and women had reduced odds of having undergone previous HCV testing. The general population of China has low HCV knowledge and testing rate. There is an urgent need for enhanced HCV awareness and scaled-up HCV screening and treatment. Individuals who are less well educated, reside in less-developed areas, currently drink alcohol, and are female should be prioritized for health education and interventions.

Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C in Pakistan from 2001 to 2022: A Systematic Review

Background: Hepatitis B and C represent a significant public health concern globally, with a substantial burden in developing countries, particularly Pakistan. The country's diverse demographic and socio-economic landscape presents challenges in the surveillance and management of these infectious diseases. Objective: This systematic review aims to consolidate and analyse the prevalence data of Hepatitis B and C infections reported across Pakistan from 2001 to 2022 to understand the epidemiological trends and to inform public health interventions. Methods: A thorough search of various research databases was conducted to identify studies that reported the prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-Hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) antibodies. Studies were selected based on inclusion criteria focused on the population of Pakistan between 2001 and 2022. Data extraction was systematic, although a comprehensive quality assessment of each study was not completed. Results: The review included 54 studies with varying sample sizes and methodologies, including ELISA, ICT, PCR, and other serological assays. Prevalence rates for HBsAg and anti-HCV varied significantly, with HBsAg ranging from 0.9% to 44.4% and anti-HCV from 0.3% to 62.6%. These findings highlight a considerable regional variability and suggest an upward trend in HCV prevalence over the past two decades. Conclusion: The elevated prevalence rates of Hepatitis B and C across Pakistan underscore the need for robust public health policies, standardized surveillance, and targeted interventions. Despite the systematic approach to data extraction, the review is limited by the absence of a comprehensive quality assessment, which is essential for future research to build upon.

Earlier Testing of Infants With Perinatal Hepatitis C Exposure: A Key Step Toward Elimination.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection continues to be a major national public health problem and is targeted for domestic and global elimination. Driven by the ongoing opioid epidemic, HCV incidence has been rising in the US over the last decade with highest infection rates among young adults including women of childbearing age.1 This is significant because if these young adults with HCV viremia get pregnant, their infants are perinatally exposed to the virus. In 2020 as part of a strategy to increase testing of all adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended universal HCV antibody screening with every pregnancy, a critical first step to improve maternal health and enhance identification of infants at risk for HCV.2 With a 3-8% risk, perinatal transmission is still the most common route of HCV infection among children and an increasing number of infants have been infected over recent years.3 Most infants with HCV infection are asymptomatic, so the diagnosis depends on subsequent testing of perinatally exposed infants to rule out infection. Historically, it was recommended that all infants with HCV exposure be screened for anti-HCV antibodies at ≥18 months. With this prior recommendation, numerous studies consistently demonstrated that 75-90% of exposed infants were never tested or linked to care.4,5 The reasons for this poor test rate are multifactorial, but a recommendation to wait 18 months in a population who often has many complicated social factors certainly was a major factor.4,5.

Frequency of hepatitis C virus infection in patients with pediatric inflammatory bowel disease: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPatients with pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (PIBD) are believed to be at higher risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection not only due to using of immunosuppressive drugs but also because of repeated blood transfusion and endoscopic and other invasive procedures used for diagnoses and effective controlling of the disease, so this study aimed to assess the frequency of HCV infection, in patients with PIBD at the New Children’s Hospital, Cairo University, and identify the potential risk factors.MethodsThis cross-sectional analytic study included 165 IBD patients between 1 and 16 years old of both sexes who were attending the Pediatric Gastroenterology Clinic in the New Children’s University Hospital, Cairo University. All patients were screened for anti-HCV antibodies using ELISA. Factors related to IBD (severity, modalities of the treatment, and invasive procedures), to infection (blood transfusion history and family history of hepatitis), and liver enzymes were registered. The risk factors were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis.ResultsPresent and/or past HCV infection was found in five (3%) of the IBD patients. The multivariate logistic regression to detect independent predictors of HCV +ve antibodies patients had statistically significant value with number of hospital admission related to IBD with p-value = 0.002, odd ratio (OR) = 1.467, and confidence interval (CI) = 95% (1.145–1.879) and with number of hospital admission unrelated to IBD with p-value = 0.024, OR = 0.750, and CI 95% (0.585–0.963).ConclusionThe frequency of HCV infection in PIBD patients was 3%. Thus, the frequency of HCV infection in PIBD patients is similar to that in the normal population of the developing countries, and it is strongly related to hospital admission due to IBD or non-IBD causes.

Hepatitis C virus may accelerate breast cancer progression by increasing mutant p53 and c-Myc oncoproteins circulating levels

BackgroundHepatitis C virus (HCV) was reported to relate to polymorphous and frequent extrahepatic manifestation. Despite the limited studies, HCV viral oncoproteins may be implicated in breast cancer (BC) tumor aggressiveness. In a trial to elucidate a mechanistic link, this study aimed to investigate a mutant p53 and c-Myc oncoprotein expression levels in BC patients with and without HCV infection.MethodsA total of 215 BC patients (119 infected and 96 non-infected with HCV) were collected. ELISA was used for detection of anti-HCV antibodies, mutant p53, c-Myc, HCV-NS4, CEA, CA 125, and CA-15.3.ResultsHCV infection was related to BC late stages, lymph-node invasion, distant metastasis, high grades, and large size. HCV-infected patients had a significantly (P < 0.05) higher WBCs, ALT and AST activity, bilirubin CEA, CA125 and CA15.3 levels, and reduced hemoglobin, albumin, and RBCs count. Regardless of tumor severity, HCV infection was associated with significant elevated levels of mutant p53 (22.5 ± 3.5 µg/mL; 1.9-fold increase) and c-Myc (21.4 ± 1.8 µg/mL; 1.5-fold increase). Among HCV-infected patients, elevated levels of p53 and c-Myc were significantly correlated with elevated tumor markers (CEA, CA 125, and CA15.3) and HCV-NS4 levels.ConclusionsThis study concluded that HCV infection may be accompanied with BC severity behavior and this may be owing to elevated expression of mutant p53 and c-Myc oncoproteins.

Patient-centered and integrated outreach care for chronic hepatitis C patients with serious mental illness in Taiwan.

Patients with serious mental illness have a higher risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection but suboptimal HCV care. The current study aimed to facilitate HCV treatment uptake by implementing an integrated outreach care model. Multidisciplinary outreach screening followed by HCV reflex testing and onsite treatment for schizophrenia patients was accomplished through the coordination of nongovernmental organizations, remote specialists, and local care providers. The objective was microelimination effectiveness, defined as the multiplication of the rates of anti-HCV antibodies screening, accurate HCV RNA diagnosis, treatment allocation, treatment completion, and sustained virological response (SVR12; no detectable HCV RNA throughout 12 weeks in the post-treatment follow-up period). A total of 1478 of the 2300 (64.3%) psychiatric patients received HCV mass screening. Seventy-three (4.9%) individuals were seropositive for anti-HCV antibodies. Of the 73 anti-HCV seropositive patients, all (100%) received HCV reflex testing, and 29 (37.7%) patients had HCV viremia. Eight patients (34.8%) had advanced liver disease, including 3 with liver cirrhosis and 2 with newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma. Twenty-three of the 24 (95.8%) patients who stayed in the healthcare system received and completed 8 weeks of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir treatment and post-treatment follow-up without significant DDIs or adverse events. The SVR12 rate was 100%. The microelimination effectiveness in the current study was 61.6%. Individuals with serious mental illness are underserved and suffer from diagnostic delays. This patient-centered and integrated outreach program facilitated HCV care in this marginalized population.

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C Virus in the Urban Commune of Kindia-Republic of Guinea

Introduction: Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus; its spread in humans has been boosted by the emergence of parenteral use for medical purposes or drug injections, as well as its asymptomatic nature in the acute phase.&#x0D; The global prevalence of hepatitis C is estimated at 1%, with a variable distribution in different regions of the world, sometimes even within the same country.&#x0D; General objective: To help improve the biological diagnosis and prevention of HCV infections in the urban commune of Kindia.&#x0D; Methodology: The urban commune of Kindia was used as the study area. This prospective and descriptive study was carried out at the Institut de Recherche en Biologie Appliquée de Guinée (IRBAG) from June to December 2022. The biomaterial consists of 3,000 blood samples taken from patients attending consultations at health facilities. The Immuno-Enzymatic technique (ELISA) was used to test for anti-HCV antibodies.&#x0D; Results: In the course of our work, out of 3,000 samples taken from patients admitted to health facilities, 78 cases tested positive for the anti-HCV antibody, representing a carriage rate of 2.6%. Females were the most affected, with 50 positive cases (1.67%). The 31-40 age group had the highest anti-HCV antibody carriage rate, at 0.70%.&#x0D; Conclusion: All socio-professional groups are affected by this infection, but to varying degrees. Despite our efforts, hepatitis C virus infection remains a major concern, as there is currently no vaccine and existing treatments are expensive and inaccessible to middle-income countries.

A descriptive study of hepatitis C in people who inject drugs.

The seroprevalence of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in general population is higher than that of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in India. People who inject drugs (PWIDs) constitute a high-risk group for all blood-borne infections. Multiple behavioural surveillance surveys have provided a rich typology of HIV-infected PWIDs, but this information is missing for HCV infection. We describe awareness, transmission risk factors and the treatment continuum for HCV infection among PWID. We also report spatial clustering of HCV infection in PWIDs residing in Bengaluru. Information from clinical records was collected and telephonic interviews of retrospectively identified PWIDs who received treatment at a tertiary-level addiction treatment facility between 2016 and 2021 were conducted. We identified 391 PWIDs; 220 (56.26%) received an anti-HCV antibody test (4 th Generation HCV-Tridot). Individuals reporting unsafe injection practices were more often tested than those who did not ( χ2 =44.9, df=1, P <0.01). Almost half of the tested and more than a quarter of the whole sample (109/220, 49.9%; 109/391, 27.9%) were seropositive for HCV infection. The projected seropositivity in this group was between 27.9 per cent (best case scenario, all untested assumed negative) and 71.6 per cent (worst case scenario, all untested assumed positive). Only a minority of participants interviewed were aware of HCV (27/183, 14.7%). HCV infection and its associated risk behaviour (PWID) were clustered in certain localities (Diggle and Chetwynd Test; P =0.001) in Bengaluru in the southern district of Karnataka. Undetected HCV infection is common in PWIDs; awareness and treatment uptake is poor in this group. Spatial clustering of infections in a district shows transmission in close networks and provides opportunities for targeted interventions.

Towards SDG30: Fighting HCV with a screening program in Lombardy

Abstract Background The third Sustainable Development Goal, specifically in target 3.3, identifies fighting HCV as a priority. It is estimated that in Italy more than 200.000 patients eligible for HCV treatment are not being treated and 20% are not aware of the infection. Lombardy region to promptly identify and treat patients affected, developed a screening program to be offered to all patients born between 1969 and 1989. Healthcare facilities were divided into first and second-level centers and the campaign was designed in 2 phases: at the first level centres patients were screened with blood tests, if positive they were contacted by second level structures to get a diagnostic test and if confirmed positive to start the therapeutic approach. Methods The screening program started in June 2022 and consisted of an opportunistic offer of free testing for serum anti-HCV antibodies in the context of any healthcare performance offered to eligible patients. Data were uploaded and collected on a web database from which second-level centers could obtain data of positive patients to contact them and set appointment for confirmation tests. Results As of 31st December 2022 120,193 individuals underwent HCV screening in 75 screening centers in Lombardy. The mean age was 44 years, 65.2% were females, and 83.7% were tested at outpatient blood collection centers. 604 (0.50%) patients tested positive with mean age 47 (±5). HCV-RNA was detectable in 125 out of 441 (28.3%) anti-HCV positive subjects with available HCV-RNA. Patients with active HCV infection were aged 46 (±6) and were mostly males (56.8%). Overall, the prevalence of active infection in the general population was 0.10% and was higher in elderly. Conclusions The prevalence of active HCV infection in the general population born between 1969 and 1989 in Lombardy was low. Considering the higher prevalence of active infection in the elderly population, an extension of the screening offer to patients born between 1949-70 could be evaluated. Key messages • Prevalence of active HCV infection in screened population is low. • Extending the screening offer may result in higher number of positive results and more people directed towards treatment.

S1460 The Significance of Time-to-Positivity of Anti-HCV Antibody Rapid Diagnostic Test in Predicting HCV Active Viremia

S1460 The Significance of Time-to-Positivity of Anti-HCV Antibody Rapid Diagnostic Test in Predicting HCV Active Viremia

Assessment of Serum Interleukin-35 Levels in Iraqi Patients with Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Background: It is unclear how IL-35 contributes to chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Objective: To evaluate the association of IL-35 with the viral load in HCV infections. Methods: Fifty patients were included, and their age and sex were matched with 50 healthy subjects. Seven ml of venous blood was obtained and tested for anti-HCV antibodies using the ELISA kit, quantitative measurement of HCV RNA by PCR, and estimation of serum levels of IL-35. Results: The HCV viral RNA titers ranged from 165 to 55595000 copies/mL and were positive for anti-HCV antibodies. The control group was negative. The serum level of IL-35 in the patients was significantly lower than in the controls. The correlation coefficient for HCV viral loads and IL-35 in patients is equal to 0.114. The serum IL-35 level was highest in the age group of 30–39 years. The HCV patients on treatment have a mean viral load equal to 406,3051.90 copies/ml and a mean IL-35 level equal to 151.98 ng/ml; those without treatment have a mean viral load equal to 765,525.94 copies/ml and an IL-35 level equal to 165.09 ng/ml. The gender distribution of HCV viral load revealed non-significant differences. Conclusion: Most of the HCV patients did not achieve rapid or sustained virologic responses after treatments. Serum IL-35 was significantly reduced and shows a weak positive correlation with HCV viral load. Older HCV patients usually had lower serum IL-35 levels.

ESTIMATION OF PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION BY SEROLOGICAL TEST AND REAL TIME RT-PCR TEST AMONG SUSPECTED VIRAL HEPATITIS CASES ATTENDING TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, KOLKATA

Objective: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health problem in India and worldwide. Majority remain asymptomatic until they develop serious complications like liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma with fatal outcome. Hence, early diagnosis of active HCV infection and prompt initiation of treatment is important. Treatment with directly acting antivirals (DAAs) resulted in high sustained virological response (SVR) rates of &gt;95% globally. This study was done to estimate seroprevalence and prevalence of active HCV infection among study population. After initiation of treatment, SVR rates were estimated. Methods: This was hospital-based, cross-sectional, and observational study. Screening was done by third-generation Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect anti-HCV antibody, then confirmatory real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test was done for detection of active cases and determining their viral load. Treatment of 12-week duration was initiated by DAAs and followed up to estimate SVR by doing real-time RT-PCR after 12 weeks of treatment completion. Result: Among 17,752 consecutive non-repetitive blood samples, seroprevalence was 1.78%. The prevalence of active cases was 1.52%. HCV active infection was prevalent more among male (64.21%) and among 40–60 years age group. History of multiple blood transfusion (58%) was the most common risk factor, followed by multiple sex partners (13.3%). Coinfections with Hepatitis B virus and Human immunodeficiency virus were seen in 13.65% of cases. About 92% of patients completed their treatment. SVR was 97.87%. Conclusion: High SVR of 97.87% is evidence-based data that support that proper treatment can eliminate HCV infection. Detection by real-time RT-PCR and highly effective DAA has made a paradigm shift to approach of HCV diagnosis and management in recent times

Comparative study on ELISA, CLIA and rapid diagnostic test in detecting HCV infection in blood donor at a tertiary care center

Background: The prevalence of blood screening assays for hepatitis C infection among blood donors remains comparatively low in line with WHO guidelines, especially when compared to developing nations. Various methodologies, such as ELISA, immunochromatography assays, RIBA, HCV RNA PCR, and CLIA, are employed to detect anti-HCV IgG antibodies in all patients with HCV infection. However, there is a significant scarcity of comparative data available regarding the evaluation of HCV infection screening among CLIA, ELISA, and RDT methods in their ability to detect anti-HCV antibodies effectively. This gap in knowledge highlights the need for further research and analysis in this critical area of healthcare. In this study we evaluate the technical performance between ELISA, CLIA and RDT in detection of HCV infection. Materials and method: A cross-sectional study was carried out, involving 70 blood donor samples. Subsequently, the samples were subjected to screening for Anti-HCV antibodies using three different methods: RDT, CLIA, and ELISA. The results obtained from these screenings were duly recorded. Results: Among the 70 patients included in the study, 63 (90%) were male, and 7 (10%) were female. The following performance metrics were calculated for each method where CLIA shows 100% sensitivity, Specificity 98%, PPV 100%, NPV 98.9%, Accuracy 100%, Kappa coefficient 0.932, p-value &lt;0.001, in case of ELISA: Sensitivity 97.6%, Specificity 99.2%, PPV 100%, NPV 97.1%, Accuracy 99%, Kappa coefficient 0.97, p-value &lt;0.001. followed by RDT: Sensitivity 89%, Specificity 87.9%, PPV 100%, NPV 90.2%, Accuracy 96%, Kappa coefficient 0.59, p-value &lt;0.001. These results provide valuable insights into the performance of each method in screening for HCV antibodies, with CLIA and ELISA demonstrating higher sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy compared to RDT. Conclusion: In conclusion, the study suggests that the CLIA screening method for detecting HCV infections is considered superior to both ELISA and RDT in a Tertiary care center.

The prevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV among hemodialysis patients in a tertiary care hospital in Mashhad, Iran.

Hepatitis and acquired immunodeficiency are major health concerns in high-risk patients with renal failure undergoing hemodialysis. This might be due to the number of blood transfusions, age, and dialysis duration. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV in hemodialysis patients to determine the effectiveness of preventive measures already in place and the possible correlation between various risk factors and viral infection in the Hemodialysis Center in Mashhad, Iran. Sixty-five patients were included in a retrospective cross-sectional study. The demographic information was collected. Hepatitis-B surface antigens, anti-HCV, and anti-HIV antibodies were screened using ELISA. Out of 65 patients, 34 (52.3%) were male, and 31 (47.7%) were female. Mean duration of dialysis was 30.68 ± 26.39 months, and the mean age was 64.95 ± 14.09 years. We found 9 (13.8%) patients that were HBV positive (HbsAg-positive), and 3 (4.6%) patients were HCV positive. Sex and the number of blood transfusions were found to be risk factors for HBV infection and had statistical significance (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). No statistical significance was found between HBV- and HCV- positivity and the mean age of patients (p = 0.84 and p = 0.76, respectively). All patients were HIV-negative. Prevalence of HBV was high and significant. More preventive measures need to be developed, and further studies should be conducted to examine the effectiveness of these measures. Moreover, evaluating the prevalence rates of HBV, HCV, and HIV in other hospitals and dialysis centers in Mashhad is recommended to minimize viral infections. Initial HBV vaccination for patients that require hemodialysis is crucial.

Guillain-Barré syndrome as clinical presentation of a recently acquired hepatitis C

About 40% of the Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) cases are associated with prodromal infections; occasionally, it has been associated to chronic hepatitis C or its reactivation. A 38-year-old man came to our attention after transaminase elevation occurred during recovery from GBS. All the possible causes of acute hepatitis were excluded except for the positivity of HCVRNA, and a diagnosis of new onset hepatitis C was made. Recalling patient history, we observed that (i) anti-HCV antibodies were negative and liver enzymes were normal 7 weeks before GBS onset; (ii) in the early stages of ICU admission, liver enzymes started to rise, but the elevation remained mild under steroid treatment; (iii) serum aminotransferase peak occurred 11 weeks after GBS onset; and (iv) HCV RNA was already significantly high when anti-HCV antibodies became positive, consistent with an acute hepatitis. Furthermore, anti-HCV seroconversion was likely delayed or blurred by steroids and immunoglobulin infusions. The interval of time between GBS onset and transaminase elevation compared with the patient clinical history allows us to establish a cause-effect relationship between the two diseases. All patients with GBS should be tested for hepatitis C, or its reactivation if already present, and followed up for an early diagnosis and treatment.

Prevalence of hepatitis B and C viral co-infection and associated factors with HIV infection in children in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo

BackgroundThe World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2030 goal of eradicating Hepatitis B and C viruses must also include HIV co-infected children. However, data on the prevalence of this condition are lacking in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is considered as one of the countries with high-prevalence of these viruses. The need to assess the extent of this co-infection in the children of this country is therefore important in order to capitalize on efforts to improve prevention and management of both infections.MethodologyThis is a comparative cross-sectional study conducted from February 04, 2015 to September 03, 2019 at 14 General Reference Hospitals with a pediatric HIV management programme in South Kivu province. The study compared the frequency of hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) markers and factors associated with these two viruses in two equal groups: HIV-positive and HIV-negative children. The data were analyzed using the SPSS version 20.0 software and the significance level was set at p-value less than 0.05.ResultsThe study involved a total of 594 children, 297 of whom were HIV-positive and 297 negative. HBsAg was found in 8.7% of HIV-positive patients and 0.7% for HCV antibodies. On the other hand, among the HIV-negative patients, the proportion of HBsAg was 0.7% but no cases with anti-HCV antibodies were detected. HIV status increases by 14 times the risk of co-occurring with HBV [OR 14.1 (95% CI: 3.33–60.2); p < 0.001] and this risk is not apparent for HCV (p = 0.297). Multivariate logistic regression showed that history of jaundice in the family (aOR:4.19;95% CI: 2.12–11.59), recent hospitalization (aOR:10.7;95% CI: 6.69–17.2), surgery (aOR: 3.24;95% CI: 1.18–8.92), piercing (aOR: 4.26;95% CI: 1.70–10.7) and transfusion in the last 6 months (aOR: 2.69;95% CI: 1.55–4.67) were significantly associated with higher risk of being HBV- HIV co-infected.ConclusionThis study investigated the importance of hepatitis viral co-infections in HIV-positive children in South Kivu. Particular attention should be paid to prevention and early detection of these co-infections in this population.

Predictors for Liver Cirrhosis in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Cirrhosis is one of the most critical health problems with a great economic burden on the health system. Objectives: This study evaluated cirrhosis predictors in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Methods: A total of 608 patients with HCV were included in the present study within 2011 and 2017 and divided into two groups based on the presence and absence of cirrhosis. Demographic and laboratory data (e.g., blood group, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), prothrombin time (PT), platelet count, anti-HCV antibodies, and virus level count) were collected by referring to patients’ files and compared between the two groups. Predictive factors were determined using the regression model. Results: In this study, 85 patients (13.9%) had liver cirrhosis. Univariate analysis showed that hepatic enzymes AST, ALT, platelet count, PT, partial thromboplastin time, international normalized ratio, and HCV ribonucleic acid levels in cirrhosis patients were significantly higher than in non-cirrhosis patients (P &lt; 0.05). Adjusted logistic regression analysis showed age &lt; 45 years (adjusted odds ratio (ORAdj): 1.11, P = 0.028), male gender (ORAdj: 2.08, P = 0.023), co-infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (ORAdj: 2.58, P = 0.001), and alcohol consumption (ORAdj: 1.87, P = 0.001) were predictive factors for cirrhosis in patients with HCV Conclusions: This study showed that in patients with hepatitis C, age &gt; 45 years, male gender, alcohol consumption, and co-infection with HBV significantly increased the risk of liver cirrhosis.

Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of hepatitis C infection among diabetic patients in South-Kivu, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo: A cross-sectional study.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and diabetes mellitus (DM) are two frequent diseases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and several studies seem to show a link between the two diseases worldwide. However, no study has evaluated this link in our country. The present study aimed at determining the seroprevalence of HCV in diabetic patients as well as associated risk factors. A multicenter cross-sectional study allowed us to sample diabetic patients in two diabetic healthcare centers of Bukavu city in the eastern part of the DRC, from December 2020 to December 2022. A questionnaire was submitted to the diabetic patients to collect sociodemographic data, anamnestic data on risk factors for HCV infection, and clinical data on DM. These factors were analyzed based on anti-HCV serological results. Among the 180 selected patients, 19 (10.6%) were tested positive for anti-HCV antibodies. After multivariate analysis, the identified factors influencing these outcomes were male sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 3.5, p = 0.027), dental extraction (aOR: 7.6, p = 0.001), and living in a privileged environment (aOR: 0.29, p = 0.03). The factors related to DM such as the type, the disease duration, or the usual type of treatment did not influence the serological results. This study shows that HCV seroprevalence in diabetic patients is very high compared with the general population. This suggests combined screening and management policies in this population.

Glecaprevir-pibrentasvir for 4 weeks among people with recent HCV infection: The TARGET3D study

Short duration treatment may aid HCV elimination among key populations. This study evaluated the efficacy of glecaprevir-pibrentasvir for 4 weeks among people with recent HCV infection. In this single-arm multicentre international trial, adults with recent HCV (duration of infection <12 months) received glecaprevir-pibrentasvir 300mg-120 mg daily for 4 weeks. Primary infection was defined as a first positive anti-HCV antibody and/or HCV RNA measurement within 6 months of enrolment and either acute clinical hepatitis within 12 months (symptomatic illness or alanine aminotransferase >10x the upper limit of normal) or antibody seroconversion within 18 months. Reinfection was defined as new positive HCV RNA within 6 months and prior clearance (spontaneous or treatment). The primary endpoint was sustained virological response at 12 weeks post-treatment (SVR12) in the intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) populations. Twenty-three participants (96% men, 70% HIV, 57% ever injected drugs) received treatment, of whom 74% had genotype 1a infection and 35% recent reinfection. At baseline, median duration of infection was 17 weeks (IQR 11-29) and HCV RNA was 5.8 log10IU/ml (IQR 5.2-6.9). SVR12 was achieved by 78% (18/23; 95% CI 56-93%) and 82% (18/22; 95% CI 60-95%) of the ITT and PP populations, respectively, and in 100% (12/12; 95% CI 74-100%) of participants with baseline HCV RNA ≤6 log10. There were four cases of virological failure (relapse); three received retreatment with 12 weeks sofosbuvir-velpatasvir or grazoprevir-elbasvir (SVR, n= 2; loss to follow-up, n= 1). No serious adverse events were reported. While most achieved SVR, the efficacy of a 4-week regimen of glecaprevir-pibrentasvir was lower than observed with longer treatment durations (≥6 weeks) among people with recent HCV. Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02634008. Short duration treatment may aid HCV elimination among key populations. This investigator-initiated single-arm multicentre international pilot trial demonstrated that efficacy of glecaprevir-pibrentasvir for 4 weeks among people with recent HCV infection was sub-optimal (SVR12 78% ITT, 82% PP). Baseline HCV RNA appeared to impact response, with higher efficacy among participants with lower baseline HCV RNA (≤6 log10; SVR12 100% ITT, 12/12). While most achieved SVR, the efficacy of 4 weeks of glecaprevir-pibrentasvir was below that seen with longer treatment durations (≥6 weeks).

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus among patients with arthralgia: is it logic for screening?

BackgroundHepatitis C virus (HCV) is well-known to be associated with multiple extrahepatic manifestations such as arthralgia, myalgia, arthritis, and vasculitis. Many studies reported frequent rheumatologic manifestations among patients infected by HCV. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of HCV among chronic unexplained arthralgia patients in order to aid in the early detection and treatment of silent HCV infection.MethodsThis study was a cross-sectional observational study conducted from July 2020 to May 2022. It included 145 individuals suffering from chronic unexplained arthralgia, with vast majority having oligoarticular joint pain (110, 75.9%). They were 103 (71%) females and 42 (29%) males. Serum samples from all patients were examined for the presence of anti-HCV antibodies using a rapid immunochromatographic assay. Seropositive samples were further examined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of HCV RNA to confirm HCV infection.ResultsOut of 145 patients who complained of arthralgia, seven patients tested positive for anti-HCV with a seroprevalence of 4.8% while five patients tested positive for HCV-RNA with a molecular prevalence of 3.4%. All positive patients were males (11.9%) with high statistical significance (χ2 = 12.7 and p = 0.002). No association was found between HCV infection and age, blood transfusion, surgery, using personal shaving tools, or being a health-care worker.ConclusionsThe prevalence of HCV was high among males who complained of arthralgia. Patients with arthralgia, especially male patients, are recommended to perform HCV screening test.