P- 64 HEPATITIS C VIRUS MICRO-ELIMINATION PROGRAM IN AN OPEN POPULATION

Introduction and Objectives

Among the WHO, goals for 2030 are to detect >90% of people with HCV and link >80% to treatment. Our institution serves an open population without social security. This study aimed to describe the detection strategy that was carried out in the open population, using two-step HCV detection tests at “Hospital General de México” from January to December 2021.

Materials and Methods

The study was conducted in an open population that transits for our hospital for any reason and agreed to take the risk factor questionnaire and the rapid test for the detection of anti-HCV antibodies (RT); those who were reactive underwent viral load (PCR to detect HCV-RNA). Descriptive statistics and the statistical package STATA v.14 were used.

Results

In 2021, 33,523 subjects were screened; 71.5% were women, mean age of 47±10 years. Reported at least one risk factor for HCV 53.5%. The most frequent risk factors were: Multiple sexual partners (MSP)/sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) 36.2%, tattoos/piercings 26.7%, surgery before 1995 20.2%, transfusion before 1994 5.4%, health workers after accidental puncture 4.2%. Of the 33,523, 0.7% were reactive in the RT; of them, the PCR was positive in 57.9% (prevalence of viremia= 0.4%). Among the viremic, the risk factors identified were: blood transfusion before 1995 37%, MSP/STDs 35%, surgery before 1995 30%, tattoos/piercings 30%, and drugs 3.5%. Of all viremic, 134 (100%) were linked to attention at the Mexican health sector; 114 (85.1%) without insurance treated at our hospital; 89 (78%) received DAAs at our institution in 2021 and have completed the time to assess SVR12, per protocol the SVR12 rate was 97.7% (2 failures), by intention to treat SVR12 was 93.2% (2 failures, 1 missing, three deaths from COVID-19). The remaining 25 patients detected in 2021 (22%) and without eligibility continued the protocol for treatment with DAAs during the year 2022.

Conclusions

The prevalence of HCV was similar to that previously reported. Traditional risk factors such as transfusion or surgery are still very prevalent. Timely diagnosis of HCV allows treatment to be linked to an optimal level of SVR12 in accordance with the WHO goals.