Prevalence of chronic hepatitis C and B and history of screening in the general population in 2016: a contribution to a new screening strategy, Santé publique France-BaroTest Barometer

The hepatitis C screening strategy is currently being reviewed by the French National Authority for Health (HAS). One of the options under consideration would involve combined screening for hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis B (HBV) viruses and HIV at least once in a lifetime for all adults ("universal combined screening"). Recent national data are needed to guide this new strategy. Our objective is to provide estimates of the prevalence of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and B (CHB) and screening rates based on the BaroTest and the 2016 Public Health France Barometer. This barometer is a telephone survey conducted among a random sample of the general population in metropolitan France. BaroTest is a virological component of the 2016 Public Health France Barometer, based on a self-collected blood sample applied to a filter paper at home. The prevalence among 18- to 75-year-olds was estimated at 0.30% (95% CI: [0.13–0.70]) for HCC and 0.30% [0.13–0.70] for HBV. The estimated proportion of infected individuals aware of their status is 80.6% [44.2–95.6] for HCC and 17.5% [4.9–46.4] for HCB. Universal combined HCV/HBV/HIV screening would involve testing 32.6% of this population, considering individuals who have not undergone any of the three tests, and 85.3% when also accounting for those already tested for one or two of the viruses. These results, which are useful for guiding the new hepatitis C screening strategy, also highlight that significant efforts are still needed to achieve the goals of eliminating hepatitis C and B.

Author(s): Saboni Leïla, Brouard Cécile, Gautier Arnaud, Chevaliez Stéphane, Rahib Delphine, Richard Jean-Baptiste, Larsen Christine, Sommen Cécile, Pillonel Josiane, Lydié Nathalie, Lot Florence

Publishing year: 2019

Pages: 469-477

Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2019, n° 24-25, p. 469-477

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