2026-04-13T01:39:36Zhttps://recercat.cat/oai/request

oai:recercat.cat:11351/83862025-10-24T10:43:01Zcom_2072_378070com_2072_378040col_2072_378092

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hepatitis B and C elimination: An EASL survey Kondili, Loreta A. Riveiro Barciela, Maria del Mar Maticic, Mojca Negro, Francesco Berg, Thomas Craxi, Antonio Buti Ferret, Maria Qüestionaris Hepatitis vírica - Diagnòstic COVID-19 (Malaltia) DISEASES::Virus Diseases::Hepatitis, Viral, Human ANALYTICAL, DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES, AND EQUIPMENT::Investigative Techniques::Epidemiologic Methods::Data Collection::Surveys and Questionnaires DISEASES::Virus Diseases::RNA Virus Infections::Nidovirales Infections::Coronaviridae Infections::Coronavirus Infections ENFERMEDADES::virosis::hepatitis viral humana TÉCNICAS Y EQUIPOS ANALÍTICOS, DIAGNÓSTICOS Y TERAPÉUTICOS::técnicas de investigación::métodos epidemiológicos::recopilación de datos::encuestas y cuestionarios ENFERMEDADES::virosis::infecciones por virus ARN::infecciones por Nidovirales::infecciones por Coronaviridae::infecciones por Coronavirus Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C virus; COVID-19 pandemic Virus de la hepatitis B; Virus de la hepatitis C; Pandemia de COVID-19 Virus de l'hepatitis B; Virus de l'hepatitis C; Pandèmia del COVID-19 Background & Aims The World Health Organization (WHO) HBV and HCV elimination targets, set in 2016 and based on projections to 2030, were unable to consider the impact of intervening factors. To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on viral hepatitis elimination programs, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) conducted a survey in liver centers worldwide in 2021. Methods A web-based questionnaire was distributed (May-July 2021) to all EASL members representing clinical units providing HBV and HCV hepatitis care. Results are expressed as absolute numbers and reduction rates for each care activity. Results Data were collected from 32 European and 12 non-European clinical centers. Between January 2019 (pre-pandemic) and December 2020 (during the pandemic), chronic HBV consultations decreased by 32% and 26%, new referrals by 38% and 39%, HBV testing rates by 39% and 21% (for HBsAg detection) and 30% and 22% (for HBV DNA detection), and new HBV treatments by 20% and 44% (p = 0.328) in European and non-European centers, respectively. With regard to HCV during the same time frame, the overall reductions were 39% and 50% for consultations, 49% and 49% for new referrals, 11% and 38% for HCV RNA detection, and 51% and 54% for new HCV antiviral treatments for European and non-European Centers, respectively (p = 0.071). Conclusions All steps in the viral hepatitis care cascade have been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, with a comparable impact across different centers. These data reaffirm the pandemic’s major effect on global viral hepatitis elimination programs and suggest that actions to achieve the WHO 2030 targets should be reconsidered and revised to account for each country's progress relative to pre-pandemic values. 2025-10-24T10:43:01Z 2025-10-24T10:43:01Z 2025-10-24T10:43:01Z 2022-11-03T13:12:14Z 2022-11-03T13:12:14Z 2022-09 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://hdl.handle.net/11351/8386 JHEP Reports;4(9) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100531 Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Elsevier Scientia