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Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Populations With Liver-Related Diseases in the Middle East and North Africa.

ABSTRACT: We investigated hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemiology in populations with liver-related diseases (LRDs) in the Middle East and North Africa. The data source was standardized databases of HCV measures populated through systematic reviews. Random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions were performed, and genotype diversity was assessed. Analyses were based on 252 HCV antibody prevalence measures, eight viremic rate measures, and 30 genotype measures on 132,358 subjects. Pooled mean prevalence in LRD populations was 58.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 51.5%-66.0%) in Egypt and 55.8% (95% CI, 49.1%-62.4%) in Pakistan; these values were higher than in other countries, which had a pooled prevalence of only 15.6% (95% CI, 12.4%-19.0%). Mean prevalence was highest in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma at 56.9% (95% CI, 50.2%-63.5%) and those with cirrhosis at 50.4% (95% CI, 40.8%-60.0%). Type of LRD population and country were the strongest predictors of prevalence, explaining 48.6% of the variation. No evidence for prevalence decline was found, but there was strong evidence for prevalence increase in Pakistan. A strong, positive association was identified between prevalence in the general population and that in LRD populations; the Pearson correlation coefficient ranged between 0.605 and 0.862. The pooled mean viremic rate was 75.5% (95% CI, 61.0%-87.6%). Genotype 4 was most common (44.2%), followed by genotype 3 (34.5%), genotype 1 (17.0%), genotype 2 (3.5%), genotype 6 (0.5%), and genotype 5 (0.3%). Conclusion: HCV appears to play a dominant role in liver diseases in Egypt and Pakistan and has a growing role in Pakistan. Testing and treatment of LRD populations are essential to reduce disease burden and transmission and to reach HCV elimination by 2030.

SUBMITTER: Mahmud S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7109336 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Populations With Liver-Related Diseases in the Middle East and North Africa.

Mahmud Sarwat S Chemaitelly Hiam H Al Kanaani Zaina Z Kouyoumjian Silva P SP Abu-Raddad Laith J LJ

Hepatology communications 20200228 4

We investigated hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemiology in populations with liver-related diseases (LRDs) in the Middle East and North Africa. The data source was standardized databases of HCV measures populated through systematic reviews. Random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions were performed, and genotype diversity was assessed. Analyses were based on 252 HCV antibody prevalence measures, eight viremic rate measures, and 30 genotype measures on 132,358 subjects. Pooled mean prevalence i ...[more]

PMID: 32258952

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Project description:Background and aimsPeople who inject drugs (PWID) are a key population at high risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The aim of this study was to delineate the epidemiology of HCV in PWID in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).MethodsSyntheses of data were conducted on the standardized and systematically assembled databases of the MENA HCV Epidemiology Synthesis Project, 1989-2018. Random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions were performed. Meta-regression variables included country, study site, year of data collection and year of publication [to assess trends in HCV antibody prevalence over time], sample size and sampling methodology. Numbers of chronically infected PWID across MENA were estimated. The Shannon Diversity Index was calculated to assess genotype diversity.ResultsBased on 118 HCV antibody prevalence measures, the pooled mean prevalence in PWID for all MENA was 49.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 44.4-54.1%]. The country-specific pooled mean ranged from 21.7% (95% CI = 4.9-38.6%) in Tunisia to 94.2% (95% CI = 90.8-96.7%) in Libya. An estimated 221 704 PWID were chronically infected, with the largest numbers found in Iran at 68 526 and in Pakistan at 46 554. There was no statistically significant evidence for a decline in HCV antibody prevalence over time. Genotype diversity was moderate (Shannon Diversity Index of 1.01 out of 1.95; 52.1%). The pooled mean percentage for each HCV genotype was highest in genotype 3 (42.7%) and in genotype 1 (35.9%).ConclusionHalf of people who inject drugs in the Middle East and North Africa appear to have ever been infected with hepatitis C virus, but there are large variations in antibody prevalence among countries. In addition to > 200 000 chronically infected current people who inject drugs, there is an unknown number of people who no longer inject drugs who may have acquired hepatitis C virus during past injecting drug use. Harm reduction services must be expanded, and innovative strategies need to be employed to ensure accessibility to hepatitis C virus testing and treatment.

Project description:BackgroundDirect-acting antivirals opened an opportunity for eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the region most affected by HCV infection. Impact of HCV treatment as prevention (HCV-TasP) was investigated in 19 MENA countries.MethodsAn age-structured mathematical model was used to assess program impact using epidemiologic and programming measures. The model was fitted to a database of systematically gathered HCV antibody prevalence data. Two main scenarios were investigated for the treatment roll-out to achieve (i) 80% reduction in HCV incidence by 2030, and (ii) incidence rate < 1 per 100,000 person-years by 2030.ResultsIn the target-80%-incidence-reduction scenario, number of treatments administrated by 2030 ranged from 2,610 in Lebanon to 180,416 in Sudan with a median of 53,079, and treatment coverage ranged between 40.2 and 78.4% with a median of 60.4%. By 2030, prevalence of chronic infection ranged between 0.0 and 0.3% with a median of 0.1%, and incidence rate, per 100,000 person-years, ranged between 0.9 and 16.3 with a median of 3.2. Program-attributed reduction in incidence rate ranged between 47.8 and 81.9% with a median of 68.5%, and number of averted infections ranged between 401 and 68,499 with a median of 8,703. Number of treatments needed to prevent one new infection ranged from 1.7 in Oman to 25.9 in Tunisia with a median of 6.5. In the target incidence rate < 1 per 100,000 person-years scenario, number of treatments administrated by 2030 ranged from 3,470 in Lebanon to 211,912 in Sudan with a median of 54,479, and treatment coverage ranged between 55.5 and 95.9% with a median of 87.5%. By 2030, prevalence of chronic infection was less than 0.1%, and incidence rate, per 100,000 person-years, reached less than 1. Program-attributed reduction in incidence rate ranged between 61.0 and 97.5% with a median of 90.7%, and number of averted infections ranged between 559 and 104,315 with a median of 12,158. Number of treatments needed to prevent one new infection ranged from 1.3 in Oman to 25.9 in Tunisia with a median of 5.5.ConclusionHCV-TasP is an effective and indispensable prevention intervention to control MENA's HCV epidemic and to achieve elimination by 2030.

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Project description:Background:More than 5.5 million Syrian refugees have fled violence and settled in mostly urban environments in neighboring countries. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region accounts for 6% of the global population but 25% of the population are 'of concern' to the UN Refugee Agency. In addition to large amounts of forced migration, the region is also undergoing an epidemiologic transition towards a heavier burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which in 2018 accounted for 74% of all deaths in the region. To address NCD needs globally, a myriad of policies and interventions have been implemented in low-income stable country settings. However, little is known about which policies and interventions are currently being implemented or are best suited for refugee hosting countries across the Middle East and North Africa. Methods:A scoping review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted to identify policies and interventions implemented in the Middle East and North Africa to address the needs of urban refugees with noncommunicable diseases. Results:This scoping review identified 11 studies from Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, West Bank, Gaza and Syria. These studies addressed three foci of extant work, (1) innovative financing for expensive treatments, (2) improvements to access and quality of treatment and, (3) efforts to prevent new diagnoses and secondary complications. All interventions targeted refugee populations including Palestinians, Sudanese, Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis. Discussion:The scoping review highlighted five key findings. First, very few studies focused on the prevention of noncommunicable diseases among displaced populations. Second, several interventions made use of health information technologies, including electronic medical records and mHealth applications for patients. Third, the vast majority of publications were solely focused on tackling NCDs through primary care efforts. Fourth, the literature was very sparse in regard to national policy development, and instead favored interventions by NGOs and UN agencies. Last, the perspectives of refugees were notably absent. Conclusion:Opportunities exist to prioritize prevention efforts, scale up eHealth interventions, expand access to secondary and tertiary services, address the scarcity of research on national policy, and incorporate the perspectives of affected persons in the broader discourse.

Dataset Information

Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Populations With Liver-Related Diseases in the Middle East and North Africa.

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Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Populations With Liver-Related Diseases in the Middle East and North Africa.

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