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. 2016 May 26;11(5):e0155464.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155464. eCollection 2016.

Characteristics of Foreign-Born Persons in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study: Implications for Screening Recommendations

Barbara Bertisch  1   2 , Fabio Giudici  1 , Francesco Negro  3 , Darius Moradpour  4 , Beat Müllhaupt  5 , Alberto Moriggia  6 , Janne Estill  1 , Olivia Keiser  1 ; Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study
Affiliations

Characteristics of Foreign-Born Persons in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study: Implications for Screening Recommendations

Barbara Bertisch et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Switzerland recommends individuals who originate from high-prevalence countries to be screened for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, not all these persons are equally at risk. We thus aimed to describe the number and characteristics of persons with HCV infection born outside of Switzerland.

Methods: We compared characteristics of anti-HCV-positive individuals in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study (SCCS) and of HCV cases reported to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), with those of the general population in Switzerland. Persons who inject drugs (PWID) and persons who do not inject drugs (non-PWID) were compared by age groups for different countries of origin (represented by ≥1% of participants in the SCCS or FOPH).

Results: We included 4,199 persons from the SCCS and 26,610 cases from the FOPH. Both groups had similar characteristics. In both data sources non-PWID were more frequent in foreign-born than in Swiss-born persons (63% versus 34% in the SCCS). The only subgroup with a clearly higher proportion both in the SCCS and FOPH than in the general population were persons over 60 years from Italy and Spain, with a 3.7- and 2.8-fold increase in the SCCS. These persons were non-PWID (99%), less frequently HIV- and anti-HBc positive and more often female than PWID from Italy and Spain; cirrhosis at enrolment was frequent (31%). Their HCV genotypes were consistent with those observed in elderly non-PWID of their birth countries. In the FOPH a higher proportion than in the general population was also seen for cases from Georgia and Russia.

Conclusion: The identification of subgroups in which HCV infection is particularly frequent might allow for better targeting HCV screening among foreign-born persons in Switzerland and elsewhere.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have the following interests: This work was supported in part by unrestricted grants to the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study Foundation by AbbVie, Gilead, BMS, Janssen, MSD, Novartis and Roche. Barbara Bertisch has served as consultant for Janssen and BMS, has received research and/or travel grants from Gilead, BMS and ViiV and honoraria for speaking at a meeting from BMS and Gilead. Francesco Negro has served as advisor for MSD, Gilead, BMS and AbbVie and has unrestricted research grants from Gilead. Darius Moradpour has served as an advisory board member for AbbVie, BMS, Gilead, Janssen, MSD and Roche and has received research and/or travel grants from BMS, Gilead, MS and Roche. Beat Müllhaupt has served as an advisory board member for Roche, MSD, Janssen, AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Gilead and BMS; as consultant for Gilead and AbbVie; and has received research grants from Roche and Gilead. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products to declare. This did not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Persons who do not inject drugs (non-PWID) versus persons who inject drugs (PWID) in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study by region of birth and age (please note the different y-axis scale for Switzerland).
Fig 2
Fig 2. Prevalence of country representatives by age group in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study (SCCS), in cases mandatorily reported to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and in the general population of Switzerland (please note the different y-axis scale for Italy).
Fig 3
Fig 3. Persons who do not inject drugs (non-PWID) versus persons who inject drugs (PWID) among foreign-born persons in the national surveillance data of the Federal Office of Public Health, by country of origin and age (please note the different y-axis scale for Italy).
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