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Meta-Analysis
. 2015 Nov;60(7):789-98.
doi: 10.1007/s00038-015-0708-5. Epub 2015 Aug 23.

Hepatitis C in key populations in Latin America and the Caribbean: systematic review and meta-analysis

Monica Alonso  1 , Annika Gutzman  2 , Rafael Mazin  2 , Carlos E Pinzon  3 , Ludovic Reveiz  3 , Massimo Ghidinelli  2
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Hepatitis C in key populations in Latin America and the Caribbean: systematic review and meta-analysis

Monica Alonso et al. Int J Public Health. 2015 Nov.

Abstract

Objectives: Summarize hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence in injecting (IDU) and non-injecting drug users (NIDU), men who have sex with men (MSM), sex workers, and prison inmates in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

Methods: Systematic review on HCV prevalence in sub-populations in LAC. Databases searched from 1-1-2000 to 10-30-2013.

Inclusion criteria: prevalence studies in sub-populations in LAC. HCV-antibody was marker for prevalence of current/past HCV infection and HCV-RNA for prevalence of HCV current infection.

Results: IDU HCV current/past infection presented highest prevalence, from 1.7 % in Colombia to over 95 % in Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana, Mexico and pooled regional anti-HCV prevalence was 49 % (CI 95 % 22.6-76.3 %). NIDU, MSM and sex workers anti-HCV prevalence was below 10 %, and pooled regional prevalence of 4 % (CI 95 % 2.6-4.5 %), 3 % (CI 95 % 1.7-4.5 %) and 2 % (CI 95 % 1.0-3.4 %), respectively. Prison inmates presented higher values, but prevalence decreased over the 15-year time span (p < 0.001). Current HCV infection from three countries showed prevalence under 10 % in prison inmates and 1-46 % among drug users.

Conclusions: Disease burden is high and surveillance, prevention and treatment should target these groups in LAC.

Keywords: Caribbean; Drug users; Hepatitis C; Latin America; Men who have sex with men; Prisoners.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram of the study selection procedure for the review on prevalence of current and/or past Hepatitis C infection in Latin America and the Caribbean from 2000 to 2013
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Forest plot for hepatitis C infection prevalence in Latin America and the Caribbean from 2000 to 2013. DU drug users, IDU injecting drug users, NI DU non-injecting drug users, MSM men who have sex with men
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Forest plot for current Hepatitis C infection prevalence Hepatitis C infection in Latin America and the Caribbean from 2000 to 2013. DU drug users, IDU injecting drug users, NIDU non-injecting drug users
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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