title: Seroprevalence of HCV and HIV infections by year of birth in Spain: impact of US CDC and USPSTF recommendations for HCV and HIV testing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently add the advice of one-time testing of HCV infection in persons born during 1945-1965. Moreover, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) newly recommended one-time HIV testing for persons aged 15-65. Herein, we evaluate the potential impact of these recommendations in a reference medical area of Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  All assays results entries for HCV and HIV serological markers ordered at a reference lab from primary care and specialized physicians between 2008 and 2012 were recorded in a medical area which covers 501,526 citizens in Northern Spain. The year of birth were also documented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 108,159 anti-HCV-Ab results were generated during the study period. The global rate of anti-HCV-Ab+ was 7.7% (95% CI: 7.6%-7.9%), being more prevalent in men than women (8.6% vs. 4.5%). By year of birth, the highest prevalence was found in persons born between 1955 and 1970. HCV genotype 1 was the most prevalent (59.7%) followed by genotype 3 (22.7%). Regard HIV infection, among 65,279 anti-HIV results generated the prevalence of anti-HIV+ was 1.1% (95% CI: 1.0%-1.2%), being more frequent in men (2% vs 0.5%). The years of birth with highest rates of HIV infection exactly match with those for HCV infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The highest rates of HCV and HIV infections are found between 1960 and 1965. Different historical and social circumstances such as the huge intravenous drug use epidemic in the eighties in Spain, might explain it. Therefore, each country needs to determine its own HCV and HIV seroprevalences by year of birth to establish the proper recommendations for the screening of both infections.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Virología Clínica, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña-Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mena
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña-Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Luz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moldes
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Virología Clínica, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña-Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain; Service of Internal Medicine, Hospital Quiron, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meijide
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña-Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Angelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cañizares
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Virología Clínica, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña-Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Angeles
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castro-Iglesias
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Virología Clínica, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña-Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain; Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña-Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Epidemiología Clínica y Bioestadística, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña-Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña. Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pértega
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Virología Clínica, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña-Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pedreira
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña-Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bou
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Virología Clínica, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña-Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poveda
mesh_terms: D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D036801:Parturition; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology