Prevalence of Hepatitis C in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy: Population-Wide Screening
In agreement with WHO recommendations, the Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy, implemented a population-wide HCV screening program for the treatment of the large asymptomatic infected population. From January 2022, the free-of-charge screening targeted all residents born between 1969 and 1989, prison inma...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Gianmarco Imperiali Matteo Fiore Alessandro Bianconi Giovanna Mattei Giulio Matteo Giuseppe Diegoli Esther Rita De Gioia Cecilia Acuti Martellucci Maria Elena Flacco Lamberto Manzoli Regional HCV Working Group |
| author_facet | Gianmarco Imperiali Matteo Fiore Alessandro Bianconi Giovanna Mattei Giulio Matteo Giuseppe Diegoli Esther Rita De Gioia Cecilia Acuti Martellucci Maria Elena Flacco Lamberto Manzoli Regional HCV Working Group |
| author_sort | Gianmarco Imperiali |
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| description | In agreement with WHO recommendations, the Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy, implemented a population-wide HCV screening program for the treatment of the large asymptomatic infected population. From January 2022, the free-of-charge screening targeted all residents born between 1969 and 1989, prison inmates, and injection drug users. Participants were recruited using phone messages, electronic health record notifications, public advertisement, and direct contact with general practitioners. A single blood sample was collected for anti-HCV IgG testing and, if positive, for reflex HCV–RNA testing. Infected subjects were offered an evidence-based therapeutic pathway. By June 2024, 72.8% of high-risk subjects (<i>n</i> = 19,732), and 36.9% of the general population (<i>n</i> = 488,065) had been screened. A total of 1032 individuals were positive based on the HCV–RNA test, and the detection rate widely differed between the high-risk and the general population (23.8‰ vs. 1.2‰, respectively). Of the infected individuals, 88.1% were seen by a specialist physician, and 74.3% (<i>n</i> = 767) started antiviral therapy. Thanks to multiple recruitment approaches, over one third of the general population participated in HCV screening. The program performance was substantially greater among high-risk individuals compared to the general population. To achieve WHO targets, policymakers might consider expanding the screening to other high-risk subgroups and/or adapting birth cohorts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a757297633754a33849e7e2d1cbae23d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj-art-a757297633754a33849e7e2d1cbae23d2025-08-20T03:32:32ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-06-0117684310.3390/v17060843Prevalence of Hepatitis C in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy: Population-Wide ScreeningGianmarco Imperiali0Matteo Fiore1Alessandro Bianconi2Giovanna Mattei3Giulio Matteo4Giuseppe Diegoli5Esther Rita De Gioia6Cecilia Acuti Martellucci7Maria Elena Flacco8Lamberto Manzoli9Regional HCV Working GroupSection of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, ItalySection of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, ItalySection of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, ItalyEmilia-Romagna Region Collective Prevention and Public Health Department, 40127 Bologna, ItalyEmilia-Romagna Region Collective Prevention and Public Health Department, 40127 Bologna, ItalyEmilia-Romagna Region Collective Prevention and Public Health Department, 40127 Bologna, ItalySection of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, ItalySection of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, ItalySection of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, ItalyIn agreement with WHO recommendations, the Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy, implemented a population-wide HCV screening program for the treatment of the large asymptomatic infected population. From January 2022, the free-of-charge screening targeted all residents born between 1969 and 1989, prison inmates, and injection drug users. Participants were recruited using phone messages, electronic health record notifications, public advertisement, and direct contact with general practitioners. A single blood sample was collected for anti-HCV IgG testing and, if positive, for reflex HCV–RNA testing. Infected subjects were offered an evidence-based therapeutic pathway. By June 2024, 72.8% of high-risk subjects (<i>n</i> = 19,732), and 36.9% of the general population (<i>n</i> = 488,065) had been screened. A total of 1032 individuals were positive based on the HCV–RNA test, and the detection rate widely differed between the high-risk and the general population (23.8‰ vs. 1.2‰, respectively). Of the infected individuals, 88.1% were seen by a specialist physician, and 74.3% (<i>n</i> = 767) started antiviral therapy. Thanks to multiple recruitment approaches, over one third of the general population participated in HCV screening. The program performance was substantially greater among high-risk individuals compared to the general population. To achieve WHO targets, policymakers might consider expanding the screening to other high-risk subgroups and/or adapting birth cohorts.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/843Hepatitis C VirusscreeningHCV prevalenceprison inmatesdrug addiction1969–1989 |
| spellingShingle | Gianmarco Imperiali Matteo Fiore Alessandro Bianconi Giovanna Mattei Giulio Matteo Giuseppe Diegoli Esther Rita De Gioia Cecilia Acuti Martellucci Maria Elena Flacco Lamberto Manzoli Regional HCV Working Group Prevalence of Hepatitis C in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy: Population-Wide Screening Viruses Hepatitis C Virus screening HCV prevalence prison inmates drug addiction 1969–1989 |
| title | Prevalence of Hepatitis C in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy: Population-Wide Screening |
| title_full | Prevalence of Hepatitis C in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy: Population-Wide Screening |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence of Hepatitis C in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy: Population-Wide Screening |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence of Hepatitis C in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy: Population-Wide Screening |
| title_short | Prevalence of Hepatitis C in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy: Population-Wide Screening |
| title_sort | prevalence of hepatitis c in the emilia romagna region of italy population wide screening |
| topic | Hepatitis C Virus screening HCV prevalence prison inmates drug addiction 1969–1989 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/843 |
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