title: High prevalence of hepatitis C (HCV) in the emergency department (ED) of a London hospital: should we be screening for HCV in ED attendees?
abstract: An unlinked anonymous study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in emergency department (ED) attendees at a London Hospital. Nine hundred and ninety-seven samples collected over a 12-day period were tested for HCV antibody (Ab) and reactive samples were further tested for HCV RNA. The HCV seroprevalence was 2·6% (26/997) with 1·2% (12/997) HCV RNA positive. A peak HCV RNA-positive prevalence of 4·8% (3/63) was found in males aged 35-44 years, this was compared to 0% (0/136) in males aged <35 years (P = 0·0614) and 1·4% (4/278) in males aged ⩾45 years (P = 0·2415). Assuming the cost for HCV Ab is £6 and HCV RNA is £40 per test, screening ED attendees aged 25-54 years would cost £360 per viraemic infection and identify 82% of those who were HCV RNA positive, yielding the most favourable cost/benefit ratio. HCV screening of ED attendees aged 25-54 years in this population could be an effective way of identifying patients and limit onward transmission.
authors: Department of Infection and Immunology,The Royal London Hospital,Barts Health NHS Trust,London,UK.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Orkin
authors: Department of Biochemistry,The Royal London Hospital,Barts Health NHS Trust,London,UK.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Leach
authors: Department of Infection and Immunology,The Royal London Hospital,Barts Health NHS Trust,London,UK.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Flanagan
authors: Department of Infection and Immunology,The Royal London Hospital,Barts Health NHS Trust,London,UK.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Wallis
authors: Department of Medical Affairs,Gilead Sciences Ltd,Uxbridge,Middlesex,UK.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ruf
authors: Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, Queen Mary University London,London,UK.
authors: G R
authors: GR
authors: Foster
authors: Department of Virology,The Royal London Hospital,Barts Health NHS Trust,London,UK.
authors: C Y W
authors: CY
authors: Tong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Emergency department; HCV RNA-positive prevalence; hepatitis C; screening; seroprevalence