Hepatitis C screening guide was released by the Spanish Ministry of Health

On the 9th of July 2020, the Ministry of Health of Spain released a screening guide for Hepatitis C infection as a part of the Strategic Plan for Addressing Hepatitis C in the National Health System.

According to the latest seroprevalence study of HCV infection, carried out between 2017 and 2018, about 74,457 people are infected in Spain, and 22,478 of them were undiagnosed. Epidemiological characteristics make this infection continue to be a public health problem that requires integrated political, health, and social responses. Prevention and equitable access to treatment are the foundation of action. The prevalence continues to be extremely high in people taking drugs. In addition, it highlights an increase in some groups.

The document indicates the following aspects:

• The population groups with risk exposures should be tested for HCV
• Those with admission to chronic hemodialysis units, with tattoos made with instruments without due safety precautions or with occupational exposure to HCV
• Based on the available evidence, screening for HCV infection in people without risk exposures is not recommended
• To improve access to screening and link to treatment monitoring, the guide proposes actions such as diagnosing the infection in a single step, training and support activities for health professionals, or a simplification of the models.

The full details in Spanish can be found here.

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