Beyond Risk Factors: Rethinking Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Screening in Primary Care.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Most international guidelines recommend screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) only for individuals with risk factors or elevated ALT levels. However, this approach may not suffice to eradicate viral hepatitis. This study evaluates the application of EASL HBV and HCV screening guidelines in primary care centres (PCCs).

Methods

The study included two components: (1) A retrospective review (January 2021-March 2023) of microbiology data to determine testing rates, analyse clinical characteristics, and assess management; and (2) A prospective intervention (March-April 2024) involving HBV and HCV screening and risk factor surveys for all adults attending two PCCs for blood collection.

Results

In the retrospective analysis of 90 170 p

SUBMITTER: Vargas-Accarino E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12447784 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature