Aitziber Aguinaga1, Jorge Díaz-González2, Alejandra Pérez-García3, Laura Barrado4, Iván Martínez-Baz5, Itziar Casado5, Regina Juanbeltz5, Carmen Ezpeleta1, Jesús Castilla6. 1. Servicio de Microbiología Clínica, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Navarra, España. 2. Instituto de Salud Pública de Navarra, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Navarra, España. 3. Servicio de Microbiología Clínica, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Navarra, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Pamplona, España. 4. Hospital García Orcoyen, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Estella, Navarra, España. 5. Instituto de Salud Pública de Navarra, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Navarra, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Pamplona, España. 6. Instituto de Salud Pública de Navarra, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Navarra, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Pamplona, España. Electronic address: jcastilc@navarra.es.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Navarra, Spain, as well as to distinguish between diagnosed and undiagnosed infections. METHODS: A study was conducted on patients scheduled for surgery unrelated to HCV infection. They were all tested for HCV antibodies, under a routine scheme, from January 2014 to September 2016. Patients with a positive result by enzyme immunoassay were confirmed using immunoblot and/or HCV-RNA. Previous laboratory results were also taken into account. The prevalence was adjusted to the sex and age structure of the Navarra population. RESULTS: The study included a total of 7,378 patients with a median age 46 years, of whom 50% women. HCV antibodies were detected in 69 patients, which is a prevalence in the population of 0.83% (95% confidence interval: 0.64-1.05), and was higher in men (1.11%) than in women (0.56%; P=.0102). Among the HCV positive patients, 67 (97%) had had another previous positive result. Population prevalence of previous positive HCV was 0.80%, and was 0.03% for a new diagnosis. Of the HCV positive patients, 78% had detectable HCV-RNA. It was estimated that 0.65% of the population had had detectable HCV-RNA, and 0.51% continued to have it when recruited into the study. CONCLUSION: Previous estimates of prevalence of HCV infection should be revised downwards. Only a small proportion of HCV positive patients remain undiagnosed, and only a small part have active infection.
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Navarra, Spain, as well as to distinguish between diagnosed and undiagnosed infections. METHODS: A study was conducted on patients scheduled for surgery unrelated to HCV infection. They were all tested for HCV antibodies, under a routine scheme, from January 2014 to September 2016. Patients with a positive result by enzyme immunoassay were confirmed using immunoblot and/or HCV-RNA. Previous laboratory results were also taken into account. The prevalence was adjusted to the sex and age structure of the Navarra population. RESULTS: The study included a total of 7,378 patients with a median age 46 years, of whom 50% women. HCV antibodies were detected in 69 patients, which is a prevalence in the population of 0.83% (95% confidence interval: 0.64-1.05), and was higher in men (1.11%) than in women (0.56%; P=.0102). Among the HCV positive patients, 67 (97%) had had another previous positive result. Population prevalence of previous positive HCV was 0.80%, and was 0.03% for a new diagnosis. Of the HCV positive patients, 78% had detectable HCV-RNA. It was estimated that 0.65% of the population had had detectable HCV-RNA, and 0.51% continued to have it when recruited into the study. CONCLUSION: Previous estimates of prevalence of HCV infection should be revised downwards. Only a small proportion of HCV positive patients remain undiagnosed, and only a small part have active infection.
Authors: Ángeles Ruiz-Extremera; María Del Mar Díaz-Alcázar; José Antonio Muñoz-Gámez; Marta Cabrera-Lafuente; Estefanía Martín; Rosa Patricia Arias-Llorente; Pilar Carretero; José Luis Gallo-Vallejo; Francisca Romero-Narbona; M A Salmerón-Ruiz; Clara Alonso-Diaz; Rafael Maese-Heredia; Lucas Cerrillos; Ana María Fernández-Alonso; Carmen Camarena; Josefa Aguayo; Miguel Sánchez-Forte; Manuel Rodríguez-Maresca; Alfredo Pérez-Rivilla; Rosa Quiles-Pérez; Paloma Muñoz de Rueda; Manuela Expósito-Ruiz; Federico García; Fernando García; Javier Salmerón Journal: PLoS One Date: 2020-05-21 Impact factor: 3.240