BBV MAU& SAU seroprevalence study (M&S BBV Prev study)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Retrospective anonymous testing of biochemistry samples for sero-prevalence of HIV,Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B Virus infection in Medical admission unit (MAU) and Surgical admission unit (SAU) attendees
IRAS ID
182371
Contact name
Chloe Orkin
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Organisation Director of Research Services & Business Development
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Blood borne-viruses HIV and Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C (HCV) are urgent public health problems with 35 million people living with HIV, 240 million and 150 million people chronically infected with HBV and HCV . In the UK an estimated 98,400 (1.5 per 1000) are infected with HIV, 326 000 (4 per 1000) and 215 000 (3 per 1000) people chronically infected with HBV and HCV .In England 22% of those with HIV and 50% with HCV remain undiagnosed, precise figures for late diagnosis in HBV are unclear.
HIV:
One fifth of people infected with HIV in the UK are unaware of their diagnosis. Patients who are diagnosed late in the UK have a ten-fold increased risk of dying within a year of diagnosis compared with those diagnosed early. In the UK and US where 43%(15) and 32% of diagnoses are made late. HIV testing strategies are the key to reducing late diagnoses. In the UK HIV screening is recommended in hospitals where the prevalence is >0.2%.
HBV:
Chronic infection leads to cirrhosis and an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. In Europe up to 77% dont know their status.
HCV:
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection progresses to chronicity in around 75% of cases. Chronic HCV infection is a well-recognised cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).The population prevalence of chronic HCV infection is 0.4% in England . Of these patients, only 35% have been diagnosed and only 3.8% have been treated.The treatment of HCV infection has greatly improved with new therapies offering tolerable, highly efficacious but expensive therapy. Within the Royal London hospital’s emergency department the unlinked anonymous prevalence was recently shown to be 2.6%, with 1.2% viraemic(infectious). More epidemiological data are needed to inform a public health strategy. This sero-prevalence survey aims to investigate the need for a unified blood-borne virus testing strategy.REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/NE/0336
Date of REC Opinion
25 Sep 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion