Prevalence of chronic HCV infection in EU/EEA countries in 2019 using multiparameter evidence synthesis
Christos Thomadakis, Ilias Gountas, Erika Duffell, Konstantinos Gountas, Benjamin Bluemel, Thomas Seyler, Filippo Maria Pericoli, Irene Kászoni-Rückerl, Ziad El‐Khatib, Martin Busch, Irene Schmutterer, Thomas Vanwolleghem, Sofieke Klamer, Els Plettinckx, Laure Mortgat, Dominique Van Beckhoven, Tonka Varleva, Mirjana Lana Kosanović Ličina, Tatjana Nemeth Blažić, Diana Nonković, Fanitsa Theophanous, Vratislav Němeček, Marek Malý, Peer Brehm Christensen, Susan Cowan, Kristi Rüütel, Henrikki Brummer‐Korvenkontio, Cécile Brouard, Gyde Steffen, Amrei Krings, Sandra Dudareva, Ruth Zimmermann, Georgia Nikolopoulou, Zsuzsanna Molnár, Emese Kozma, Magnús Gottfreðsson, Niamh Murphy, Loreta A. Kondili, Maria Elena Tosti, Anna Rita Ciccaglione, Barbara Suligoi, Raina Nikiforova, Renāte Putniņa, Ligita Jančorienė, Carole Seguin‐Devaux, Tanya Melillo, Anders Boyd, Marc van der Valk, Eline Op de Coul, Robert Whittaker, Hilde Kløvstad, Małgorzata Stępień, Magdalena Rosińska, Cristina Valente, Rui Tato Marinho, Odette Popovici, Mária Avdičová, Jana Kerlik, Irena Klavs, Mojca Matičič, Asunción Díaz, Julia del Amo, J. Ederth, Maria Axelsson, Georgios K. Nikolopoulos
Abstract
Background: Epidemiological data are crucial to monitoring progress towards the 2030 Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) elimination targets. Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of chronic HCV infection (cHCV) in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) countries in 2019. Methods: represent the proportions of these groups in the population. Information sources included the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) national operational contact points (NCPs) and prevalence database, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction databases, and the published literature. Findings: The cHCV prevalence in 29 of 30 EU/EEA countries in 2019 was 0.50% [95% Credible Interval (CrI): 0.46%, 0.55%]. The highest cHCV prevalence was observed in the eastern EU/EEA (0.88%; 95% CrI: 0.81%, 0.94%). At least 35.76% (95% CrI: 33.07%, 38.60%) of the overall cHCV prevalence in EU/EEA countries was associated with injecting drugs. Interpretation: Using MPES and collaborating with ECDC NCPs, we estimated the prevalence of cHCV in the EU/EEA to be low. Some areas experience higher cHCV prevalence while a third of prevalent cHCV infections was attributed to PWID. Further efforts are needed to scale up prevention measures and the diagnosis and treatment of infected individuals, especially in the east of the EU/EEA and among PWID. Funding: ECDC.