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Updated: Jul 11, 2025
A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication
Published on: June 26, 2014
Multi-disciplinary cooperation for the micro-elimination of hepatitis C in China: a hospital-based experience
Lingling Zheng1, Xiaoli Zhang2, Yuxia Nian1
1Department of Prevention and Healthcare, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 29 Xinquan Road, Gulou, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350001, P. R. China.
Insights
Implementing a multi-disciplinary cooperation model significantly improved Hepatitis C virus (HCV) detection and treatment rates. This collaborative approach is key to accelerating HCV elimination by 2030.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of liver cancer, imposing significant social and economic burdens.
- Hospitals play a crucial role in identifying HCV-infected individuals through blood-borne virus screening.
- Effective strategies are needed to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment for HCV patients to achieve elimination goals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish and evaluate a multi-disciplinary cooperation model in medical institutions for managing HCV screening results.
- To improve the diagnosis and treatment rates of patients with Hepatitis C.
- To contribute to the global goal of HCV elimination by 2030.
Main Methods:
- Established a multi-disciplinary cooperation model in October 2021, utilizing antibody-positive and HCV RNA-positive patient databases.
- Employed Chi-square tests to compare HCV RNA confirmation, diagnosis, and treatment rates before and after model implementation.
- Utilized multivariable logistic regression to identify factors influencing HCV treatment and assessed changes in medical staff knowledge.
Main Results:
- HCV RNA confirmation rate increased from 36.4% to 88.7%; diagnostic accuracy rose from 67.5% to 98.1%; treatment rate improved from 12.4% to 58.5%.
- Clinician knowledge regarding HCV characteristics, high-risk identification, patient management, and treatment significantly improved.
- Multi-disciplinary cooperation was identified as the most crucial factor for patients undergoing HCV treatment (OR: 0.024).
Conclusions:
- A multi-disciplinary cooperation model effectively utilizes HCV screening results for patient tracking, referral, and treatment.
- This model facilitates the detection and treatment of Hepatitis C patients, accelerating HCV elimination efforts.
- The study highlights the importance of integrated care models in combating viral hepatitis.
Background:
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the main causes of liver cancer and imposes an enormous social and economic burden. The blood-borne virus screening policy for preventing iatrogenic infections renders hospitals important for identifying individuals infected with hepatitis C. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the establishment of a multi-disciplinary cooperation model in medical institutions to leverage the screening results of patients with hepatitis C. Our objective is to ensure that patients receive timely and effective diagnosis and treatment, thereby enabling the elimination of hepatitis C by 2030.
Method:
A multi-disciplinary cooperation model was established in October 2021. This retrospective study was based on the establishment of antibody-positive and HCV RNA-positive patient databases. A Chi-square test was used to compare the HCV RNA confirmation rate in anti-HCV-positive patients, as well as the hepatitis C diagnosis rate and treatment rate in RNA-positive patients before and after the multi-disciplinary cooperation. A multivariable logistic regression was used to analyse the factors affecting the treatment of patients with hepatitis C. In addition, we examined changes in the level of hepatitis C knowledge among medical staff.
Results:
After the implementation of the multi-disciplinary cooperation model, the RNA confirmation rate of hepatitis C antibody-positive patients increased from 36.426% to 88.737%, the diagnostic accuracy rate of RNA-positive patients increased from 67.456% to 98.113%, and the treatment rate of patients with hepatitis C increased from 12.426% to 58.491%. Significant improvements were observed among the clinicians regarding their ability to understand the characteristics of hepatitis C (93.711% vs. 58.861%), identify people at high risk (94.340% vs. 53.797%), manage patients with hepatitis C after diagnosis (88.679% vs. 67.089%), and effectively treat hepatitis C (84.277% vs. 51.899%). Multi-disciplinary cooperation in medical institutions was the most important factor for patients to undergo HCV treatment (odds ratio: 0.024, 95% confidence interval: 0.007-0.074).
Conclusions:
This study showed that the use of a multi-disciplinary cooperation model to utilise the results of HCV antibody screening fully in patients through further tracking, referral, and treatment may facilitate the detection and treatment of patients with hepatitis C and accelerate the elimination of HCV in China.
