Year 2019 / Volume 111 / Number 8
Original
Geographic analysis and estimation of hepatitis C cases in migrant populations living in Spain: is a country-based screening strategy appropriate?

615-625

DOI: 10.17235/reed.2019.6117/2018

María Esther Alarcón Linares, Alberto Torres Cantero, Carme Subirá, Oriana Ramírez Rubio, Javier Crespo, Jeffrey V. Lazarus, Ana Requena-Méndez,

Abstract
Background: Spain needs to increase the number of new known cases in order to achieve the goal of eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030. The aim of this study was to estimate the number of HCV cases among the migrant population in Spain and propose different scenarios for micro-elimination strategies, targeting the most relevant migrant groups. Methodology: this epidemiological and demographic cross-sectional descriptive study employed a systematic approach to estimate the number of migrants infected by HCV in Spain. Estimates are based on demographic data and details the size of the foreign-born population living in every Spanish province and the anti-HVC+ prevalence rates in their respective countries of origin. Results: in Spain, there are 100,268 estimated cases of anti-HCV+ among the total adult migrant population who live in the country. The estimated cases of anti-HCV+ among migrants from moderate-high endemic countries with a prevalence of ≥ 2%, > 3%, > 4% and > 5% are 48,979, 48,029, 24,176 and 15,646, respectively. The anti-HCV+ endemic countries (≥ 2%) that contribute to the highest number of estimated cases in Spain are Romania, Italy, Pakistan, Ukraine, Senegal, Russia and Nigeria. The autonomous communities with the highest prevalence and number of estimated anti-HCV+ cases among migrant population are Catalonia, Valencian Community, Madrid and Andalusia, respectively. Conclusion: these data show the need to establish HCV screening strategies for the migrant population in Spain and, particularly, in the most affected areas. The strategy should target those migrant communities with a higher prevalence and a higher number of estimated cases, such as people from Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and Pakistan.
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Alarcón Linares M, Torres Cantero A, Subirá C, Ramírez Rubio O, Crespo J, Lazarus J, et all. Geographic analysis and estimation of hepatitis C cases in migrant populations living in Spain: is a country-based screening strategy appropriate?. 6117/2018


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Publication history

Received: 13/12/2018

Accepted: 26/02/2019

Online First: 18/07/2019

Published: 31/07/2019

Article revision time: 67 days

Article Online First time: 217 days

Article editing time: 230 days


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