Egle Ciupkeviciene

In 2022, the Lithuanian health authorities decided to pay general practitioners a fee for performing serological tests for hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies in the population born from 1945 to 1994 once per life and annual HCV testing for PWID and HIV infected patients. This study aimed to assess trends in HCV-related mortality in the country and the prevalence of HCV infection among patients with liver diseases and evaluate possibilities of screening for HCV infection at a primary health care center. Age-standardized mortality rates in 2010–2020 were calculated for deaths caused by chronic hepatitis C and some liver diseases. Data on HCV infection among patients with liver cirrhosis, cancer and transplant patients were collected from the tertiary care hospital Kauno Klinikos. The prevalence of anti-HCV and risk factors of HCV infection was assessed among patients registered with the health care center in Klaipeda, where a pilot study of screening was performed. No steady trend in mortality was observed. Analysis of medical documentation showed that 40.5% of patients with liver cirrhosis, 49.7% with cancers and 36.9% of transplant patients were HCV infected. Over the year, 4867 patients were screened in the primary health care center. Positive anti-HCV prevalence was 1.7% (2.1% in men and 1.3% in women). Blood transfusion and being a blood donor before 1993 also having tattoos were associated with higher odds of HCV infection. The study revealed the active participation of individuals in HCV screening.

In 2016, the WHO announced a plan to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. In this narrative review, experts from Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia assessed the feasibility of achieving the WHO 2030 target for HCV infections in Central Europe. They focused mainly on HCV micro-elimination in prisons, where the highest incidence of HCV infections is usually observed, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the detection and treatment of HCV infections. According to the presented estimates, almost 400,000 people remain infected with HCV in the analyzed countries. Interferon-free therapies are available ad libitum, but the number of patients treated annually in the last two years has halved compared to 2017–2019, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. None of the countries analyzed had implemented a national HCV screening program or a prison screening program. The main reason is a lack of will at governmental and prison levels. None of the countries analyzed see any chance of meeting the WHO targets for removing viral hepatitis from the public threat list by 2030, unless barriers such as a lack of political will and a lack of screening programs are removed quickly.

Background: Many people chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) are not aware of their infection. The benefit of screening for HCV is earlier treatment with antiviral medications, which are highly effective and can prevent long-term complications of chronic HCV such as cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of HCV infection and its risk factors among primary health care patients. Methods: The study was carried out in the primary health care centre of seaport Klaipeda, Lithuania. Patients were invited to participate in the screening by family doctors, regional media, social networking sites, and leaflets. Screening for HCV involved a blood test for the presence of an antibody to HCV (TOYO rapid test). Those with positive test results and a randomly selected control group of patients with negative test results were invited to participate in a telephone interview about possible risk factors of infection. In total, 1720 patients were screened. The HCV infected group consisted of 32 patients (56.3% men, mean age 55.4±9.4 years) and a control group of 96 patients (55.2% men, mean age 54.8±9.5 years). Results: The prevalence of HCV infection among screened patients was 1.9%. The odds ratio (OR) of HCV infection in patients who reported blood transfusions before 1993 was 7.7 (95% CI 2.1-27.6) compared to those who did not have a blood transfusion or had later. HCV infection was diagnosed more often among patients who were blood donors before 1993 compared to those who were not donors or were later (OR 5.6; 95% CI 2.3-13.1). Having a tattoo increased the likelihood of HCV infection by 5.6 times (95% CI 2.1-14.4). Injection of illegal drugs was reported by 8.4% of HCV positive patients, 34.9% of them was in a prison for more than 3 months. Conclusions: Primary health care institutions should consider screening people who are at high risk of HCV infection. Key messages: Risky behaviours are associated with higher risk of HCV infection. Epidemiologic data on HCV infection is crucial for developing optimal healthcare policies for the prevention and treatment of HCV infection.

Background and Objectives: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection is decreasing in the Western world, while remaining high in developing countries. There is limited up-to-date information about the prevalence of H. pylori in Central and Eastern Europe. The aim of our study was to assess the seroprevalence of H. pylori and its trend over the past 25 years among students of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LUHS) and to assess its relation to dyspeptic symptoms. Materials and Methods: In the years 1995, 2012, 2016 and 2020, students from Medical and Nursing Faculties of LUHS were tested for the presence of antibodies against H. pylori by performing serological tests from finger capillary blood. In addition, in the years 2012, 2016 and 2020, the students completed a gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS) questionnaire in order to assess dyspeptic symptoms. The study population consisted of 120 students in the year 1995 (mean age—21.3 ± 1.0 years), 187 students in the year 2012 (mean age—22.4 ± 0.7 years), 262 students in the year 2016 (mean age—20.4 ± 1.0 years) and 148 students in the year 2020 (mean age—20.4 ± 1.7 years). Results: The seroprevalence for H. pylori was positive in 62 (51.7%) students in 1995, in 57 (30.4%) students in 2012, in 69 (26.3%) students in 2016 and in 21 (14.2%) students in 2020. The statistically significant difference was found between all study years, except between 2012 and 2016. There were no significant differences in frequency and intensity of upper dyspeptic symptoms between H. pylori positive and negative students. Conclusions: Over the last 25 years the seroprevalence of H. pylori among students of LUHS has decreased significantly. No consistent differences in dyspeptic symptoms among H. pylori positive and negative subgroups were found.