title: Retrospective hepatitis C seroprevalence screening in the antenatal setting-should we be screening antenatal women?
abstract: An unlinked anonymous seroprevalence study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in samples derived from antenatal clinic attendees at 2 East London Hospitals. An unexpectedly high HCV seroprevalence of 2.6% (1.2% viraemic) had been revealed during an unlinked study of the emergency department at 1 of these hospitals.
  
  
  
  1000 stored residual samples were tested for HCV antibody (anti-HCV) and reactive samples were further tested for HCV RNA. The study was reviewed by the East Midland NRES ethics committee project ID 181154, approval number 15/WS/0125.
  
  
  
  The anti-HCV reactivity rate was 0.5% (5/1000) with 0.1% (1/1000) confirmed viraemic. Prevalence for the other blood-borne viruses was higher: 1% (10/1000) were hepatitis B surface antigen positive and 0.3% were HIV antigen/antibody positive (3/1000). There were no co-infections.
  
  
  
  More data to establish the prevalence of HCV in the antenatal population is needed. The addition of anti-HCV testing to the well-established antenatal screening programme provides a unique opportunity to impact on the health of pregnant women, their children, partners and future pregnancies in this new era of treatment for hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection and Immunology, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Chloe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Orkin
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jeffery-Smith
authors.affiliation: Queen Mary University London, Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, London, UK.
authors.forename: Graham R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: C Y William
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: VIROLOGY