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Article

The Status of Hepatitis C Microelimination Among People Living with HIV in Central and Eastern Europe in 2022—Data from Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe Network Group

by
Agata Skrzat-Klapaczyńska
1,*,
Sergii Antoniak
2,
Svitlana Antonyak
2,
Konstantinos Protopapas
3,
Antonios Papadopoulos
3,
Daniela Maric
4,
Botond Lakatos
5,
Antonija Verhaz
6,7,
Milan Zlamal
8,
Zofia Bartovska
8,
Milena Stefanovikj
9,
Gordana Dragovic
10,
Arjan Harxhi
11,
David Jilich
12,
Kerstin Aimla
13,
Lilia Cojuhari
14,
Justyna Kowalska
1 and
Josip Begovac
15
1
Department of Adults’ Infectious Diseases, Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
2
Gromashevsky Institute of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases within NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
3
4th Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital "Attikon", National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
4
Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia
5
National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Budapest, Hungary
6
Clinic for Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
7
Department for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
8
Department of Infectious Diseases, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Military University Hospital Prague, Czech Republic
9
University Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Conditions, Skopje, The Republic of North Macedonia
10
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Belgrade, Serbia
11
Infectious Disease Department, Medical University of Tirana, Albania
12
Department of Infectious Diseases, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and Faculty Hospital Bulovka, Prague, Czech Republic
13
Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
14
Department of Infectious Diseases, Nicolae Testemiţanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova
15
University Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Zagreb, Croatia
 
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*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
GERMS 2025, 15(2), 144-156; https://doi.org/10.18683/germs.2025.1464
Submission received: 26 May 2025 / Revised: 29 June 2025 / Accepted: 30 June 2025 / Published: 30 June 2025
Versions Notes

Abstract

Introduction: The implementation of nationwide viral hepatitis C elimination programs is challenging in Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC). It is reasonable to start by targeting specific populations, such as people living with HIV (PLWH), who are at higher risk of acquiring HCV or developing HCV-related complications. Methods: Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe Network Group consists of experts in the field of infectious diseases from 26 countries in the region. Between April 26th and June 23rd 2023, the group performed an on-line survey consisting of 32 questions. The questionnaire assessed the status of HCV micro-elimination in 2022. Results: Twelve HIV centers from 11 countries responded: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine. All centers screen for HCV antibody all PLWH at entry into care. The seroprevalence of anti-HCV was <5% in 5 centers (Albania, Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia and Hungary), 30.2% in Estonia and 29% in Ukraine, Greece and Moldova had high seroprevalence as well, 15.3% and 15.6% respectively. The prevalence of HCV viremia in antibody-positive PLWH was very high in Greece (85%), while in most other treatment centers it ranged from 4.2% to 38.2%. There is also a screening policy of annual HCV-testing of HCV-antibody negative persons in all centers by either testing all PLWH or those considered at risk. Direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA) were not available in one country (Albania). Among PLWH who entered care in 2022, nine out of 12 ECEE centers reported cases of HCV/HIV coinfection, with five centers indicating that at least 50% of these individuals were HCV-viremic. Conclusions: HCV screening in PLWH followed by access to DAA treatments were available in all but one center. Microelimination of HCV in PLWH in the majority of surveyed HIV treatment centers in CEEC has not been achieved and efforts to reach this goal need to be strengthened.
Keywords: PLWH; HIV; HCV; microelimination; Central and Eastern Europe PLWH; HIV; HCV; microelimination; Central and Eastern Europe

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MDPI and ACS Style

Skrzat-Klapaczyńska, A.; Antoniak, S.; Antonyak, S.; Protopapas, K.; Papadopoulos, A.; Maric, D.; Lakatos, B.; Verhaz, A.; Zlamal, M.; Bartovska, Z.; et al. The Status of Hepatitis C Microelimination Among People Living with HIV in Central and Eastern Europe in 2022—Data from Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe Network Group. GERMS 2025, 15, 144-156. https://doi.org/10.18683/germs.2025.1464

AMA Style

Skrzat-Klapaczyńska A, Antoniak S, Antonyak S, Protopapas K, Papadopoulos A, Maric D, Lakatos B, Verhaz A, Zlamal M, Bartovska Z, et al. The Status of Hepatitis C Microelimination Among People Living with HIV in Central and Eastern Europe in 2022—Data from Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe Network Group. GERMS. 2025; 15(2):144-156. https://doi.org/10.18683/germs.2025.1464

Chicago/Turabian Style

Skrzat-Klapaczyńska, Agata, Sergii Antoniak, Svitlana Antonyak, Konstantinos Protopapas, Antonios Papadopoulos, Daniela Maric, Botond Lakatos, Antonija Verhaz, Milan Zlamal, Zofia Bartovska, and et al. 2025. "The Status of Hepatitis C Microelimination Among People Living with HIV in Central and Eastern Europe in 2022—Data from Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe Network Group" GERMS 15, no. 2: 144-156. https://doi.org/10.18683/germs.2025.1464

APA Style

Skrzat-Klapaczyńska, A., Antoniak, S., Antonyak, S., Protopapas, K., Papadopoulos, A., Maric, D., Lakatos, B., Verhaz, A., Zlamal, M., Bartovska, Z., Stefanovikj, M., Dragovic, G., Harxhi, A., Jilich, D., Aimla, K., Cojuhari, L., Kowalska, J., & Begovac, J. (2025). The Status of Hepatitis C Microelimination Among People Living with HIV in Central and Eastern Europe in 2022—Data from Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe Network Group. GERMS, 15(2), 144-156. https://doi.org/10.18683/germs.2025.1464

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