Estimating the prevalence of hepatitis C infection in New York City using surveillance data

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the leading cause of chronic blood-borne infection in the USA.
• National HCV prevalence is estimated at 1.3% (3.2 million people), but sub-national data is limited.
• Accurate local prevalence data is crucial for resource allocation in public health initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in adults aged 20 years and older in New York City (NYC).
• To develop and present a methodology for generating local HCV prevalence estimates using adjusted surveillance data.
• To provide a guideline for public health officials to estimate resource needs for managing the aging HCV-infected population.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Hepatitis C surveillance data from NYC.
• Adjusted data for factors including death, out-migration, under-diagnosis, and undetectable blood RNA.
• Applied a mechanism to account for biases and challenges in reaching hard-to-access populations.

Main Results:

• Estimated Hepatitis C infection prevalence in NYC adults (≥20 years) at 2.37%.
• This translates to approximately 146,500 cases of Hepatitis C in NYC.
• The estimated prevalence range was 1.53% to 4.90%.

Conclusions:

• The developed methodology offers a feasible approach for generating local HCV prevalence estimates.
• This method accounts for critical biases and data limitations inherent in surveillance data.
• It provides a valuable tool for local public health officials to plan and allocate resources effectively for Hepatitis C control and care.