title: Hepatitis C in key populations in Latin America and the Caribbean: systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
authors: Pan American Health Organization, HIV/STI/TB and Viral Hepatitis, 525 23rd St NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA. alonsomon@paho.org.
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Alonso
authors: Pan American Health Organization, HIV/STI/TB and Viral Hepatitis, 525 23rd St NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA.
authors: Annika
authors: A
authors: Gutzman
authors: Pan American Health Organization, HIV/STI/TB and Viral Hepatitis, 525 23rd St NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA.
authors: Rafael
authors: R
authors: Mazin
authors: Pan American Health Organization, Knowledge Management, Bioethics and Research, Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Carlos E
authors: CE
authors: Pinzon
authors: Pan American Health Organization, Knowledge Management, Bioethics and Research, Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Ludovic
authors: L
authors: Reveiz
authors: Pan American Health Organization, HIV/STI/TB and Viral Hepatitis, 525 23rd St NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA.
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Ghidinelli
mesh_terms: D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000453:epidemiology; D055030:Drug Users / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D060386:Sex Workers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology; D063106:Transgender Persons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Caribbean; Drug users; Hepatitis C; Latin America; Men who have sex with men; Prisoners