Hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence estimation in the adult general population in Belgium : a meta-analysis
Journal | Volume 82 - 2019 |
Issue | Fasc.4 - Original articles |
Author(s) | G. Muyldermans, R. Bielen, R. Botterman, S. Bourgeois, I. Colle, B. Deressa, G. Devolder, Y. Horsmans, V. Hutse, N. Lanthier, L. Lasser, S. Platteau, G. Robaeys, V. Suin, X. Verhelst, H. Van Vlierberghe, L. Van Baelen |
Full article |
VIEW FREE PDF |
(1) SciensanO. Brussels, Belgium ; (2) Department of Gastroenterology, Ziekenhuis-Oost Limburg, Genk, Belgium ; (3) Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Martelarenlaan 42, 3500 Hasselt, Belgium ; (4) Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium ; (5) Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, ZNA Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium ; (6) Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology and Intensive Care Unit, Algemeen Stedelijk Ziekenhuis, Aalst, Belgium ; (7) Hepatogastroenterology Department, CHU Brugmann Brussels, Belgium ; (8) Service d'Hépato-gastroentérologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium ; (9) Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals KULeuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. |
Background and study aims : Although multiple HCV prevalence studies were recently performed in the general population from Belgium, they suffer from a lack of geographical representativeness, an insufficient number of participants or a lack of inclusion of high prevalence groups. The aim of this study is to provide robust information on the HCV burden. Methods : Recently performed HCV prevalence studies in the general, adult population were included in this study, based on well-defined selection criteria. A meta-analysis was performed to estimate the seroprevalence, the prevalence of participants with viremia and the prevalence estimation for people with viremia which were unaware of their status. Results : Eight studies fulfilled the criteria for inclusion of the quantitative prevalence estimation. Based on the meta-analysis on these 8 studies, we estimated an HCV seroprevalence of 1.01% [95% CI : 0.66-1.42%], representing a total of 90,722 adult, HCV seropositives of which 64,412 individuals (0.71%) were confirmed seropositive. Based on the RNA presence, an estimated viremic prevalence of 0.33% [95% CI : 0.21-0.47 %] was determined, corresponding with 29,642 individuals. This is 46,0% of the true HCV seropositive residents. Further, based on the availability of patient information in 5 out of the 8 studies, a prevalence of 0.18% [95% CI : 0.07-0.33] representing 16,168 individuals from the adult Belgian population are unaware of their HCV status. Conclusions : We believe that the quantitative measurement by the meta-analysis will be more reliable for their use in the design of a screening strategy or in the development of prevention campaigns as compared to the prevalence estimations performed at local level. (Acta gastroenterol. belg., 2019, 82, 479-485). |
© Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica. PMID 31950802 |