title: The Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C Antibodies in Immigrants and Refugees from Intermediate and High Endemic Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant global health issue that leads to 350,000 preventable deaths annually due to associated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Immigrants and refugees (migrants) originating from intermediate/high HCV endemic countries are likely at increased risk for HCV infection due to HCV exposure in their countries of origin. The aim of this study was to estimate the HCV seroprevalence of the migrant population living in low HCV prevalence countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four electronic databases were searched from database inception until June 17, 2014 for studies reporting the prevalence of HCV antibodies among migrants. Seroprevalence estimates were pooled with a random-effect model and were stratified by age group, region of origin and migration status and a meta-regression was modeled to explore heterogeneity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 50 studies representing 38,635 migrants from all world regions were included. The overall anti-HCV prevalence (representing previous and current infections) was 1.9% (95% CI, 1.4-2.7%, I2 96.1). Older age and region of origin, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe were the strongest predictors of HCV seroprevalence. The estimated HCV seroprevalence of migrants from these regions was >2% and is higher than that reported for most host populations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adult migrants originating from Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe are at increased risk for HCV and may benefit from targeted HCV screening.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.|Centre for Clinical Epidemiology, Lady Davis Research Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada.|Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Greenaway
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thu Ma
authors.affiliation: Library, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Lorie A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Kloda
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology, Lady Davis Research Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Sonya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cnossen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Medical Centre - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwarzer
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology, Lady Davis Research Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada.|Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shrier
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D012036:Refugees; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies