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. 2023 Nov 15;17(6):926-932.
doi: 10.5009/gnl220322. Epub 2023 Mar 2.

The Incidence and Care Cascade of the Hepatitis C Virus in Korea

Young Eun Chon  1 , Aejeong Jo  2 , Eileen L Yoon  3 , Jonghyun Lee  4 , Ho Gyun Shin  2 , Min Jung Ko  2 , Dae Won Jun  3
Affiliations

The Incidence and Care Cascade of the Hepatitis C Virus in Korea

Young Eun Chon et al. Gut Liver. .

Abstract

Background/aims: The 2030 hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination targets of the World Health Organization are an 80% reduction in incidence and 65% reduction in mortality compared to the 2015 rates. However, information on the nationwide incidence and treatment rates of HCV infection are limited. We aimed to investigate the nationwide incidence and status of the care cascade for HCV infection in Korea.

Methods: This study used data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency linked with the data of the Korea National Health Insurance Service. Linkage to care was defined as visiting hospitals twice or more due to HCV infection within 1.5 years of the index date. The treatment rate was the number who had been prescribed antiviral medication within 1.5 years from the index date out of patients newly diagnosed with HCV.

Results: The new HCV infection rate was 17.2 per 100,000 person-years (n=8,810) in 2019. The number of new HCV infections was the highest in patients aged 50 to 59 years (n=2,480), and the new HCV infection rate significantly increased with age (p<0.001). Among newly infected patients with HCV, the linkage to care rate was 78.2% (78.2% men, 78.2% women) and the treatment rate was 58.1% (56.8% men, 59.3% women) within 1.5 years.

Conclusions: The new HCV infection rate was 17.2 per 100,000 person-years in Korea. It is necessary to continuously monitor the incidence and care cascade of HCV to establish proper strategies to reach the goal of HCV elimination by 2030.

Keywords: Hepatitis C; Incidence; Korea; Linkage to care; Treatment rate.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Comorbid diseases in patients with hepatitis C virus infection.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Newly identified hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. (A) Numbers of new HCV infections according to age groups. (B) New HCV infection rate according to age groups.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Linkage to care rate according to age groups.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Treatment rate according to age groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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