Background
Objectives
Methods
Date source and search strategy
Inclusion/exclusion criteria and data extraction
Quality assessment for risk of selection bias
Data analysis
Results
Literature search retrievals
Anti-HCV prevalence among the general population in EU/EEA
General population
Author, year | Country | Recruiting period | Population as reported | Age, mean (SD) | Sample size | Anti-HCV prevalence (%) (95% CI) | Risk of selection bias |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Viejo, 2018 [19] | Spain | February–April 2017 | The general adult population living in the health area of Callosa D’En Sarrià | 47.5 (−) | 2637 | 1.14 (0.73–1.55) | High risk |
Lavin, 2017 [20] | Spain | 2015–2016 | Spanish adult population | – | 6839 | 1.11 (−) | Low risk |
Quesada, 2015 [21] | Spain | 1994–2005 | Women from the general population in different geographical areas worldwide | 40.0(15.6) | 314 | 0.60 (0.20–2.50) | High risk |
Andriulli, 2018 [22] | Italy | 2015 | The general population | – | 4907 | 2.30 (−) | Low risk |
Morisco, 2017 [23] | Italy | May 14 | A random 1:3 systematic sample of the adult general population of Naples | 49.9(5.00) | 1315 | 3.00 (2.10–4.00) | Low risk |
Walewska-Zielecka, 2017 [24] | Poland | 2004–2014 | Patients who had been tested for anti-HCV at least once in the period from 2004 to 2014 | 34.4(8.6) | 61805 | 1.50 (−) | High risk |
Clifford, 2017 [25] | Poland | 2004–2009 | The general female population | 37.0(−) | 909 | 0.80 (0.30–1.60) | High risk |
Garvey, 2017 [26] | Ireland | April–June 2014 and November 2015–February 2016 | The adult population in Ireland with probability proportional to the general population age-sex distribution | – | 3759 | 0.98 (−) | Low risk |
Chlibek, 2017 [27] | Czech Republic | February 2015–September 2015 | The adult general population | 47.1(17.1) | 3000 | 1.67 (1.27–2.19) | High risk |
Carvalhana, 2016 [28] | Portugal | April 2012–December 2014 | Adults from primary care settings in mainland Portugal | 50.2(18.3) | 1627 | 0.54 (0.20–0.90) | Low risk |
Plompen, 2015 [29] | Netherland | − | The general Dutch elderly population | 69.5(9.0) | 6036 | 0.56 (−) | High risk |
Pregnant women
Author, year | Country | Recruiting period | Population as reported | Age, mean (SD) | Sample size | Anti-HCV prevalence (%) (95% CI) | Risk of selection bias |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pregnant women | |||||||
Orkin, 2016 [30] | UK | 2013 | Women who attended antenatal clinics during 2013 at 2 London hospitals | – | 1000 | 0.50 (0.06–0.94) | High risk |
Cortina-Borja, 2016 [31] | UK | 1 April–30 June 2012 | Women delivering live-born infants in the North Thames region in England | – | 31467 | 0.10 (0.07–0.14) | Low risk |
Kopilovic, 2015 [32] | Slovenia | 1999, 2003, 2009 and 2013 | Pregnant women | – | 31849 | 0.13 (0.09–0.17) | Low risk |
Lembo, 2017 [33] | Italy | January 2010–December 2015 | Pregnant women consecutively admitted to the Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the University Hospital of Messina, Italy | – | 5184 | 0.20 (−) | High risk |
Walewska-Zielecka, 2016 [34] | Poland | 2004–2014 | Pregnant women in Poland | 33.4(7.9) | 42274 | 1.32 (−) | Low risk |
Millbourn, 2017 [35] | Sweden | October 2013–March 2015 and October 2013–February 2016 | Every pregnant woman and her partner in Orebro county and in Southern part of Stockholm (288,000 and 300,000 inhabitants, respectively) | – | 21379 | 0.20* (−) | Low risk |
Munoz-Gamez, 2016 [36] | Spain | January–October 2015 | Pregnant women in Spain | – | − | 0.55 (0.55–0.77) | Low risk |
First-time blood donors | |||||||
Velati, 2018 [37] | Italy | January 2009–December 2015 | Voluntary, unpaid first-time donors | – | 1934612 | 0.09 (0.08–0.09) | Low risk |
Politis, 2018 [38] | Greece | 2010–2016 | Blood donor | – | − | 0.03 (−) | High risk |
First-time blood donors
Anti-HCV prevalence among high-risk populations in the EU/EEA
MSM
Author, year | Country | Recruiting period | Population as reported | Age, mean (SD) | Sample size | Anti-HCV prevalence (%) (95% CI) | Risk of selection bias |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSM | |||||||
Ireland, 2017 [39] | UK | 28 February - 15 December 2014 | MSM attending 4 genitourinary medicine clinics in Manchester | – | HIV+:735 HIV-:855 | 1.80 (−) 0.20 (−) | Low risk |
Vanhommerig, 2013 [40] | Netherland | 2009–2012 | HIV-infected MSM during 5 waves of anonymous surveys at Amsterdam STI clinic | – | 439 | 7.10 (−) | High risk |
Cotte, 2018 [41] | France | January 2016 to May 2017 | HIV+, HCV-negative MSM with serological follow-up in 2016 | – | HIV+:13051 HIV-:930 | 5.10 (−) 1.80 (−) | Low risk |
Prisoner | |||||||
Ekeke, 2018 [42] | UK | December 2015-February 2017 | Prisoners entered Pentonville prison | – | 1324 | 7.00 (−) | High risk |
Patel, 2016 [43] | UK | − | Inmates in a medium security prison | – | 160 | 33.75 (−) | High risk |
Casella, 2016 [44] | Portugal | 2014 and 2016 | Inmates of 2 male prisons in the centre of Portugal (Pinheiro da Cruz and Setubal) | – | 82 | 38.00 (−) | High risk |
Liberal, 2017 [45] | Portugal | January–April | Inmates from one of the largest prisons in Portugal | – | 1208 | 15.70* (−) | High risk |
Svendsen, 2017 [46] | Norway | September 2015 | At-risk populations in Trondheim, Norway | – | 304 | 41.00 (−) | High risk |
Lerena, 2016 [47] | Spain | − | Inmates in a Northern region of Spain (Cantabria) with 600 k inhabitants and focused on the regional long-stay prison of El Dueso | – | 436 | 16.00 (−) | High risk |
Prisoners
PWID
Author, year | Country | Recruiting period | Population as reported | Age, mean (SD) | Sample size | Anti-HCV prevalence (%) (95% CI) | Risk of selection bias |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aisyah, 2018 [48] | UK | 2011–2013 | Vulnerable populations in London | – | 1207 | 11.40 (–) | Low risk |
Hope, 2016 [49] | UK | 1992–2013 | Image and performance-enhancing drugs injectors in England and Wales | – | 343 | 7.90 (–) | Low risk |
Hope, 2015 [50] | UK | Since 1990 | PWID from needle and syringe, opiate substitution treatment except for Scotland | – | 123 | 41.70 (–) | Low risk |
Valencia, 2018 [51] | Spain | January 2013–December 2016 | PWUD who actively consumed heroin and/or cocaine, either smoked or injected | 41.3(8.50) | 946 | 33.30 (–) | High risk |
Folch, 2016 [52] | Spain | 2010–2011 | PWID in harm reduction centres in Catalonia | – | 754 | 72.00 (68.8–75.2) | Low risk |
Leon, 2016 [53] | France | 2004 and 2011 | IDU | – | 1242 | 43.40 (39.00–47.90) | Low risk |
Weill-Barillet, 2016 [54] | France | 2011 | Drug users having injected or snorted drugs at least once in their life | 39.0(−) | 960 | 64.00 (59.20–68.20) | Low risk |
Sypasa, 2017 [55] | Greece | 2012–2013 | During an HIV outbreak among PWID in Athens | – | 431 | 49.90 (45.00–54.70) | High risk |
Sheka, 2014 [56] | Greece | January 1997–December 2007 | Intravenous drug users who attended the Greek Organisation against Drugs | – | 2668 | 72.20 (–) | High risk |
Derks, 2018 [57] | Germany | 2011–2014 | Current injectors in 8 German cities | – | 1318 | 64.60 (–) | Low risk |
Tarjan, 2017 [58] | Hungary | 2011 and 2014 | PWID injecting in the last month and attending SEPs or drug treatment centres | – | 365 | 65.00 (–) | Low risk |
Handanagic, 2016 [59] | Croatia | November 2014–February 2015 | PWID in the cities of Zagreb, Split and Rijeka | – | 399 | 38.30 (31.40–44.30) | Low risk |
Kaberg, 2017 [60] | Sweden | 7 April 2013–16 October 2014 | PWID in the Stockholm needle exchange program (NEP) | 39.3(1) | 1386 | 82.00 (–) | High risk |
Keegan, 2017 [61] | Ireland | 31 January 2015 | Patients attending agonist opioid treatment in a clinic in Dublin | 50.2(18.3) | 228 | 63.60 (–) | High risk |
Skocibusic, 2016 [62] | Bosnia and Herzegovina | – | PWID of both sexes included in opiate substitution treatment in the southern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina | – | 120 | 52.50 (–) | High risk |
Svendsen, 2017 [63] | Norway | September 2015–November 2016 | PWID in local opioid substitution clinic and day centres in Trondheim, Norway | – | 304 | 41.00 (–) | High risk |
Nosotti, 2016 [64] | Italy | – | IDU sample in Rome | – | 261 | 41.70 (–) | High risk |
Comparison analysis
Country | Included references | Selected references | Sample size | Anti-HCV prevalence (%) (95% CI) | Baseline sample size | Baseline prevalence (%) (95% CI) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
General population | ||||||
Spain | 3 | Single low risk | 13678 | 0.8 (0.65–0.95) [20] | 364 | 1.1(0.3–2.8) [17] |
Italy | 2 | Pooled low risk | 12444 | 4826 | 5.9(5.2–6.6) [17] | |
Poland | 2 | Single high risk | 61805 | 1.5 (1.4–1.6) [24] | – | – |
Czech Republic | 1 | Single low risk | 3000 | 1.67 (1.21–2.13) [27] | – | – |
Portugal | 1 | Single low risk | 1627 | 0.54 (0.18–0.9) [28] | – | – |
Netherlands | 1 | Single high risk | 6036 | 0.56 (0.37–0.75) [33] | 4046 | 0.1(0.0–0.2) [17] |
Ireland | 1 | Single low risk | 3795 | 0.98 (0.67–1.29) [26] | 1478 | 0.1(0.0–0.4) [17] |
Pregnant women | ||||||
UK | 2 | Single low risk | 31467 | 0.1 (0.06–0.13) [31] | 110621 | 1 [17] |
Slovenia | 1 | Single low risk | 31849 | 0.13 (0.09–0.17) [32] | 90 | 4.4 [17] |
Italy | 1 | Single high risk | 5184 | 0.2 (0.08–0.32) [33] | 10881 | 1.7 (1.4–1.9) [17] |
Poland | 1 | Single low risk | 38309 | 0.76 (0.67–0.85) [34] | 1534 | 0.1 (0.0–0.3) [17] |
Sweden | 1 | Single low risk | 4112 | 0.27 (0.11–0.43) [35] | – | – |
Spain | 1 | Single low risk | 21379 | 0.55 (0.45–0.65) [36] | – | – |
First-time blood donors | ||||||
Italy | 1 | Single low risk | 1934612 | 0.09 (0.08–0.09) [37] | – | 0.094 (0.085–0.104) [17] |
Greece | 1 | Single high risk | 3838919 | 0.03 (0.03–0.03) [38] | – | 1.202 (1.114–1.295) [17] |
MSM | ||||||
Netherlands | 1 | Single high risk | 439 | 7.1 (4.69–9.51) [40] | – | – |
UK | 1 | Single low risk | 1140 | 1.8 (1.03–2.57) [39] | – | – |
France | 1 | Single low risk | 13051 | 5.1 (4.72–5.48) [41] | – | – |
Prisoner | ||||||
UK | 2 | Pooled high risk | 1484 | 5450 | 17.7(16.4–18.4) [18] | |
Portugal | 2 | Pooled high risk | 82 | 151 | 34.4(26.9–42.6) [18] | |
Norway | 1 | Single high risk | 62 | 51.6 (39.06–64.14) [63] | ||
Spain | 1 | Single high risk | 436 | 16 (12.55–19.45) [47] | – | 22.7(18.3–27.1) [18] |
PWID | ||||||
UK | 3 | Pooled low risk | 1818 | 3144 | 49.1 (47.4–50.9) [18] | |
France | 2 | Pooled low risk | 3015 | – | – | |
Spain | 2 | Single low risk | 754 | 72 (68.79–75.21) [52] | – | – |
Greece | 2 | Pooled high risk | 3099 | 1309 | 68.1 (65.5–70.6) [18] | |
Germany | 1 | Pooled low risk from a single study | 1526 | 66.18 (63.8–68.55) [57] | – | – |
Italy | 1 | Single high risk | 261 | 47.1 (41.03–53.17) [64] | 743 | 60.5 (56.8–64.0) [18] |
Hungary | 1 | Single low risk | 755 | 48.24 (44.67–51.81) [58] | 652 | 24.1 (20.8–27.6) [18] |
Croatia | 1 | Pooled low risk from a single study | 830 | 34.04 (30.81–37.26) [59] | 200 | 44 (37.0–51.2) [18] |
Sweden | 1 | Single high risk | 1386 | 82 (79.98–84.02) [60] | – | – |
Ireland | 1 | Single high risk | 228 | 63.6 (57.34–69.86) [61] | 200 | 41.5 (34.6–48.7) [18] |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | Single high risk | 120 | 52.5 (43.53–61.47) [62] | – | – |
Norway | 1 | Single high risk | 304 | 41 (35.46–46.54) [63] | 6342 | 63.0 (61.8–64.2) |