Effectiveness of a screening program for HBV, HCV, and HIV infections in African migrants to Sicily

Securing wider EU commitment to the elimination of hepatitis C virus

“…Migrant populations also remain of concern, since some studies report high prevalences of 8% for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and 2% for HCV in different migrant populations. [26][27][28] Despite the progress that has been made in many parts of the world, HCV elimination remains one of the most important public health challenges, especially given that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic decrease in HCV treatment rates, and the potential for a significant increase in HCV-related morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs over the long-term. 10 Therefore, wider EU commitment by policymakers to the elimination of HCV is thus urgently needed.…”

“…In 2015, a study in France indicated that only up to 46% of viremic inmates receive antiviral treatment. 26 screening and treatment are needed to improve care in this population. Migrant populations also remain of concern, since some studies report high prevalences of 8% for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and 2% for HCV in different migrant populations.…”

The forgotten people: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection as a priority for the inclusion health agenda

“…In Europe, more than half of 49 million migrants born outside of the European Economic Area came from nations where HBV endemicity is either intermediate (2–8%) or high (>8%), explaining the higher prevalence of HBV infection in migrants (5%), and asylum seekers (10%) compared to the general population (1%) in Europe ( European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 2016 ; Kim et al, 2021 ; Table 1 ). Descriptive studies from Italy and the UK provide some insight into HBV infection among migrants and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children ( Table 2 ; Prestileo et al, 2022 , Colucci et al, 2022 ; Mazzitelli et al, 2021 ; Armitage et al, 2022 ; Williams et al, 2020a , World Health Organization, 2002 ), reporting risks of infection that apply before, during and after relocation ( Figure 1 ). In some countries, including the UK, asylum seekers may be moved hundreds of miles away at short notice, disrupting any continuity of care ( Farrant et al, 2022 ; World Health Organization, 2018b ).…”

“…Mainstream healthcare services are not inclusive towards the lifestyle and culture of travelling communities, with barriers arising through discrimination, alongside lack of fixed address and low levels of literacy ( McFadden et al, 2018 ). Belief in God’s will, prioritising work and family commitments over personal health, mistrust in healthcare services and everyday stigma likely contribute to underdiagnosis, undertreatment and lack of preventative measures for HBV infection ( Prestileo et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Within inclusion health populations, evidence suggests that females with HBV fare worse than males ( Table 2 ). For example, HBV infection was twice as likely in female migrants in Italy, and a higher proportion of female migrants and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children report a history of sexual assault/abuse which represents a significant HBV transmission risk ( Prestileo et al, 2022 , Armitage et al, 2022 ). Being female was associated with lower HBV vaccination uptake in PEH, PWID and people with a history of incarceration in the UK ( Taylor et al, 2019 ).…”