The Brazilian comprehensive response to hepatitis C: from strategic thinking to access to interferon-free therapy

Progress towards elimination of viral hepatitis: a Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology Commission update

The top 20 highest burdened countries (in disability-adjusted life years) account for more than 75% of the global burden of viral hepatitis. An effective response in these 20 countries is crucial if global elimination targets are to be achieved. In this update of the Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology Commission on accelerating the elimination of viral hepatitis, we convene national experts from each of the top 20 highest burdened countries to provide an update on progress. Although the global burden of diseases is falling, progress towards elimination varies greatly by country. By use of a hepatitis elimination policy index conceived as part of the 2019 Commission, we measure countries' progress towards elimination. Progress in elimination policy has been made in 14 of 20 countries with the highest burden since 2018, with the most substantial gains observed in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, and Russia. Most improvements are attributable to the publication of formalised national action plans for the elimination of viral hepatitis, provision of publicly funded screening programmes, and government subsidisation of antiviral treatments. Key themes that emerged from discussion between national commissioners from the highest burdened countries build on the original recommendations to accelerate the global elimination of viral hepatitis. These themes include the need for simplified models of care, improved access to appropriate diagnostics, financing initiatives, and rapid implementation of lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aspects that facilitate access to care for viral hepatitis: An evaluative research

BACKGROUND

Viral hepatitis is a major public health concern worldwide.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to analyze the factors that facilitate access to care for viral hepatitis.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Using a sequential mixed method, this evaluation research was conducted in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

METHODS

Mapping of references and selection of regions were made based on the quantity and heterogeneity of services. The stakeholders, including the managers of the State Department of Health and professionals from reference services, were identified. Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted using content analysis and discussions guided by the dimensions of the analysis model of universal access to health services.

RESULTS

In the political dimension, decentralizing services and adhering to the Intermunicipal Health Consortium are highly encouraged. In the economic-social dimension, a commitment exists to allocate public funds for the expansion of referral services and subsidies to support users in their travel for appointments, medications, and examinations. In the organizational dimension, the availability of inputs for testing, definition of user flow, ease of scheduling appointments, coordination by primary care in testing, collaboration following the guidelines and protocols, and engagement in extramural activities are guaranteed. In the technical dimension, professionals actively commit to the service and offer different opening hours, guarantee the presence of an infectious physician, expand training opportunities, and establish intersectoral partnerships. In the symbolic dimension, professionals actively listen to the experiences of users throughout their care trajectory and demonstrate empathy.

CONCLUSIONS

The results are crucial for improving comprehensiveness, but necessitate managerial efforts to enhance regional governance.

The politics and governance of drug production in public-private partnerships: Brazils response to hepatitis C

The local manufacture of advanced pharmaceutical products has been a long-standing objective of health and industry policy in many developing countries, including in Latin America. This strategy has been applied to fight epidemics such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we still know little about the politics and governance that enable such arrangements, especially when there is no consent from the originator company. This study focuses on the case of Brazil, a country that is well-known for its health-industry policy, which includes the local production of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), a new treatment for hepatitis C. We seek to explain the factors that have contributed to Brazil's successful production of generic versions of DAAs, and, later, to the decision by the Ministry of Health (MoH) to procure drugs from multinational pharmaceutical companies rather than from local laboratories. A lack of support for domestic production by important stakeholders, the patent holder's attempt to block domestic production and the MoH's adoption of more modern treatment guidelines under a different procurement logic all created an unfavourable environment for local production and procurement of DAAs. Our study draws implications for middle-income countries that wish to produce drugs domestically without voluntary license agreements.

Public knowledge and attitudes toward liver diseases and liver cancer in the Brazilian population: a cross sectional study

Background

Little is known about the knowledge of the Brazilian population regarding prevention/screening/diagnosis of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to investigate the public knowledge/attitudes toward liver diseases in Brazil.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in which 1.995 adults were prospectively interviewed regarding knowledge about cirrhosis/HCC and attitudes toward vaccination and viral hepatitis (VH) testing.

Findings

Most of the Brazilian subjects believe that alcohol abuse (63%-87%), NAFLD (29%-53%) and smoking (31%-47%) are the leading causes of cirrhosis/HCC. VH were less often linked to both diseases. Brazilians agreed that NAFLD is a risk factor for cirrhosis, cancer and cardiovascular diseases; 66%, 48% and 40% were submitted to hepatitis B vaccination and hepatitis B and C testing, particularly those with older age, higher level of education and income.

Interpretation

VH was not considered by the majority of the Brazilians as an important cause liver disease, leading a large proportion of those subjects to neglect hepatitis B vaccination and hepatitis B and C testing.

Funding

This work was supported by Brazilian Liver Institute.

Efficacy and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in treatment-naïve adults with chronic hepatitis C virus genotypes 1-6 in Brazil

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir is a highly effective and well tolerated treatment for hepatitis C infection. Brazilian patients were not included in the original development studies for glecaprevir/pibrentasvir. This study aimed to assess safety and efficacy of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in treatment-naïve Brazilian adults without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

EXPEDITION-3 was a Phase 3, open-label, multicenter study in treatment-naïve Brazilian adults with hepatitis C infection genotype 1-6. Patients without cirrhosis (F2 or F3) or with compensated cirrhosis (F4) received 8 or 12 weeks of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir, respectively. The primary efficacy endpoint was the rate of sustained virologic response at post-treatment Week 12. Secondary endpoints were on-treatment virologic failure and relapse rates. Baseline polymorphisms were assessed in NS3 and NS5A. Adverse events and laboratory abnormalities were monitored.

RESULTS

100 patients were enrolled, 75 received 8 weeks of treatment and 25 received 12 weeks; all patients completed treatment. Overall sustained virologic response at post-treatment Week 12 rate was high (98.0%; 98/100; 95% confidence interval: 93.0-99.4) and remained high regardless of baseline viral or host factors, including demographics, hepatitis C virus RNA levels, polymorphisms in NS3 and/or NS5A, genotype, and relevant comorbidities. 55% of patients reported ≥1 adverse event, the most common being headache (18.0%). Four patients reported serious adverse events; none were considered drug related or led to study drug discontinuation. No hepatic decompensations were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir was effective and well tolerated in treatment-naïve Brazilian patients with hepatitis C infection without cirrhosis and with compensated cirrhosis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03219216.

Effectiveness of direct-acting agents for chronic hepatitis C treatment in South America: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The effectiveness of direct-acting agents (DAAs) for hepatitis C treatment in limited-resource settings remains unclear. We estimated the pooled sustained virological response rates of DAA therapy in South America. We searched online databases for studies that reported 12-week sustained virological response (SVR12) to hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment in individuals living in South America. Pooled SVR12 in intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol were estimated. Additionally, using all studies with available data, the pooled relative risk (RR) of SVR12 using a random-effects model (DerSimonian-Laird) was estimated to compare effectiveness of DAAs in patients with or without cirrhosis, HIV co-infection or previous HCV therapy. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistics. We identified 20 studies [14 manuscripts and 6 conference abstracts] comprising 7393 individuals from five countries [Brazil (n = 11), Argentina (n = 4), Chile (n = 1), Colombia (n = 1) and Peru (n = 1)] and two South-American collaborations. The pooled overall SVR12 rates [95% confidence interval (CI)] were 92.6% [90.2-94.7] and 95.5% [94.3-96.6] by ITT (11 studies; n = 4,153; I²  = 84.2%) and per-protocol analysis (15 studies; n = 4,833; I²  = 64.5%), respectively. The RR of SVR12 was similar in patients with or without HIV co-infection [4 studies; RR = 1.03 (0.99-1.07)] and those naive compared with treatment experimented-individuals [9 studies; RR = 1.01 (1.00-1.03)], but significantly higher in patients without cirrhosis compared with those with cirrhosis [11 studies; RR = 1.04 (1.02-1.05), P < .001]. DAAs are highly effective for HCV treatment in South America. The use of DAAs should be considered in limited-resource settings to decrease the burden of liver disease in HCV-infected patients. PROSPERO[CRD 42019134603].

Global hepatitis C elimination: an investment framework

WHO has set global targets for the elimination of hepatitis B and hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030. However, investment in elimination programmes remains low. To help drive political commitment and catalyse domestic and international financing, we have developed a global investment framework for the elimination of hepatitis B and hepatitis C. The global investment framework presented in this Health Policy paper outlines national and international activities that will enable reductions in hepatitis C incidence and mortality, and identifies potential sources of funding and tools to help countries build the economic case for investing in national elimination activities. The goal of this framework is to provide a way for countries, particularly those with minimal resources, to gain the substantial economic benefit and cost savings that come from investing in hepatitis C elimination.

Cost and Effectiveness of the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C in Brazil: Real-World Data

OBJECTIVES

To introduce and discuss the cost and effectiveness of using sofosbuvir, daclatasvir, and simeprevir antivirals, in combination or not with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin, for the treatment of hepatitis C, as based on real-world data.

METHODS

We analyzed the treatment and outcomes of 253 patients from a retrospective cohort held in a specialized assistance service in the municipality of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Regarding costs, we considered only the direct costs of the antiviral medications per unit (pills), according to the financial receipts of the public procurements. We calculated the total cost of treatment per individual and the cost per cure expressed in sustained virologic response (SVR).

RESULTS

Most patients (66.8%) were carriers of the genotype 1 of hepatitis, and 92.9% reached the SVR. The average cost of the treatment for genotype-1 patients was $5,862.31 USD per patient and $6,310.34 for the cure; for genotype-3 patients, on the other hand, the cost was $5,144.27 per patient and $5,974.76 for the cure. The drugs purchasing cost was around 40% less than was estimated for the process of incorporating them into the public health system.

CONCLUSION

The results indicated that good rates of effectiveness were achieved with different combinations of the medicines. The costs of the medicines were still deemed too high for the Brazilian reality, however. Therefore the results contribute to support the formulation and review of public policies based on strong evidence and on real-world data for the treatment of hepatitis C.

The reasons to include the serology of human T-lymphotropic virus types 1 and 2 (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2) in the clinical follow-up of patients with viral hepatitis B and C in Brazil

Background

The WHO established targets for 2030 to globally reduce new viral hepatitis B and C infections by 90% and deaths by 65% and recommends searching for coinfections that increase the progression of chronic liver infections towards cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aims and methodology

This study aimed to add information concerning the influence of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and type 2 (HTLV-2) infections in hepatitis B and C, since in Brazil, these human retroviruses are endemic but neglected. Serum samples from 1,910 patients with hepatitis B and 1,315 with hepatitis C from São Paulo, southeast Brazil, that were previously tested and grouped for HIV and HTLV-1/-2 coinfections were analyzed for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) loads measurements and subsequent clearance using data from laboratory records.

Key results

Briefly, the lowest HBV viral load (VL) was detected in HBV/HTLV-2 coinfected patients, regardless of whether they were infected with HIV (all comparisons p<0.05). In contrast, higher HCV VL was detected in HCV/HIV, HCV/HIV/HTLV-1/-2 coinfected patients (all p<0.05), and the lowest HCV VL was detected in HCV/HTLV-2 coinfected patients. Curiously, 61.1% of the patients with HBV/HTLV-2 coinfection had an undetectable HBV VL at the beginning of the study versus 21.4% in the patients with HBV/HTLV-1 coinfection. Although the percentages of undetectable HCV loads in HCV/HTLV-1 and HCV/HTLV-2 coinfected patients were quite similar, during follow-up, more HCV clearance was detected in patients with HCV/HTLV-2 coinfection [OR 2.65; 95% IC (1.17–5.99)].

Major conclusions

HTLV-2 positively impacts HBV and HCV viral loads and HCV clearance, while HIV and/or HTLV-1 negatively impacts HCV viral load. Thus, the search for HTLV-1/-2 in viral hepatitis B and C infected patients has virological prognostic value, which is a strong reason to suggest including HTLV serology in the follow-up of patients.

The human T-lymphotropic viruses type 1 (HTLV-1) and type 2 (HTLV-2) are endemic and neglected in Brazil, and although these viruses were considered to have prognostic value when associated with HIV, e.g., HTLV-1 has been associated with fast progression and death to AIDS and more cases of lymphoma and neurological disorders, and HTLV-2 has been associated with slow progression to AIDS, their impact on hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) outcomes remain unknown. The present study analyzed the influence of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 coinfection on HBV and HCV virological outcomes (viral load levels and virus clearance during follow-up) in serum samples from 1,910 patients with hepatitis B and 1,315 patients with hepatitis C from São Paulo, southeast Brazil. The results obtained confirmed the positive impact of HTLV-2 on HBV and HCV virological outcomes (lower HBV and HCV viral loads and increased HCV clearance when compared with HCV-monoinfected patients) and the opposite effect of HTLV-1; these findings are similar to the effects observed in HIV/AIDS patients. Taking into consideration these results and the differential impact of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 in viral hepatitis B and C, we suggest including the serology of HTLV-1/2 in the follow-up of such patients in Brazil.

Hepatitis C screening, diagnosis, and cascade of care among people aged > 40 years in Brasilia, Brazil

Background

Identifying patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and enhancing the cascade of care are essential for eliminating HCV infection. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of positive anti-HCV serology in Brasilia, Brazil, and evaluate the efficiency of the cascade of care for HCV-positive individuals.

Methods

This cross-sectional study analyzed 57,697 rapid screening tests for hepatitis C in individuals aged > 40 years between June 2018 and June 2019. HCV-positive patients were contacted and scheduled to undergo the HCV RNA viral test, genotyping, and transient elastography.

Results

The prevalence of positive serology was 0.27%. Among 161 patients with positive anti-HCV serology, 124 (77%) were contacted, 109 (67.7%) were tested for HCV RNA viral load, and 69 (42.8%) had positive results. Genotype 1 (75%) was the most prevalent genotype. Among 65 patients (94.2%) who underwent transient elastography, 30 (46.2%) presented with advanced fibrosis. Additionally, of the 161 patients, 55 (34.1%) were referred for treatment, but only 39 (24.2%) complied, with 36 (22.4%) showing sustained virological response. By the end of the study, 16 patients were still awaiting to receive medication.

Conclusions

The prevalence of HCV-positive patients was low in Brasilia, and the gaps in the cascade of care for these patients were significantly below the targets of HCV infection elimination. This study opens new avenues for eliminating HCV infection and suggests that partnerships with clinical laboratories to conduct anti-HCV tests are a useful strategy to improve HCV diagnosis.

Trial registration

Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Brasília - UNB (CAAE number 77818317.2.0000.0030) and by the Ethics Committee of the Health Science Teaching and Research Foundation - FEPECS/SES/DF (CAAE number 77818317.2.3001.5553).

Doppler ultrasonography: A non-invasive method used to diagnose and follow up patients with chronic hepatitis C

BACKGROUND AND AIM

This study aimed to investigate the association between the findings of Doppler ultrasonography and transient elastography using FibroScan and to determine the cut-off points, sensitivity, and specificity of resistance indices, and pulsatility of the hepatic vessels to predict significant hepatic fibrosis.

METHODS

This is a transversal, observational, and analytical study that includes 30 patients with chronic hepatitis C who were admitted at a public referral hospital. Transient elastography and ultrasonographic data were collected, and the linear association between these methods was evaluated using the Pearson test. Various Doppler velocimetric indices were compared according to the presence/absence of significant (≥ F2) fibrosis.

RESULTS

There was a moderate-strong linear association between the FibroScan data and the Doppler velocimetric indices and splenic index in the hepatic vessels; the mean values of the indices differed between groups with absent/mild (F0/F1) and significant (≥ F2) hepatic fibrosis. There was an association between the monophasic and biphasic wave pattern of the suprahepatic veins and the stratification of hepatic fibrosis estimated by the values of kilopascal in FibroScan.

CONCLUSION

Doppler ultrasonography is a non-invasive method used to evaluate liver fibrosis, and it presents acceptable sensitivity/specificity for the prediction of fibrosis ≥ F2 in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Innovative strategies for the elimination of viral hepatitis at a national level: A country case series

Viral hepatitis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, but has long been neglected by national and international policymakers. Recent modelling studies suggest that investing in the global elimination of viral hepatitis is feasible and cost-effective. In 2016, all 194 member states of the World Health Organization endorsed the goal to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030, but complex systemic and social realities hamper implementation efforts. This paper presents eight case studies from a diverse range of countries that have invested in responses to viral hepatitis and adopted innovative approaches to tackle their respective epidemics. Based on an investment framework developed to build a global investment case for the elimination of viral hepatitis by 2030, national activities and key enablers are highlighted that showcase the feasibility and impact of concerted hepatitis responses across a range of settings, with different levels of available resources and infrastructural development. These case studies demonstrate the utility of taking a multipronged, public health approach to: (a) evidence-gathering and planning; (b) implementation; and (c) integration of viral hepatitis services into the Agenda for Sustainable Development. They provide models for planning, investment and implementation strategies for other countries facing similar challenges and resource constraints.

The QualiRede intervention: improving the performance of care continuum in HIV, congenital syphilis, and hepatitis C in health regions

INTRODUCTION

Care continuum models have supported recent strategies against sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV).

METHODS

HIV, HCV, and congenital syphilis care continuum models were developed, including all stages of care, from promotion/prevention to clinical control/cure. The models supported the intervention QualiRede, developed by a University-Brazilian National Health System (SUS) partnership focused on managers and other professionals from six priority health regions in São Paulo and Santa Catarina. Indicators were selected for each stage of the care continuum from the SUS information systems and from the Qualiaids and QualiAB facility's process evaluation questionnaires. The indicators acted as the technical basis of two workshops with professionals and managers in each region: the first one to identify problems and to create a Regional Technical Group; and the second one to design action plans for improving regional performance.

RESULTS

The indicators are available at www.qualirede.org. The workshops took place in the regions of Alto Tietê, Baixada Santista, Grande ABC, and Registro (São Paulo) and of Foz do Rio Itajaí (Santa Catarina), which resulted in regional action plans in São Paulo, but not in Santa Catarina. A lack of awareness was observed regarding the new HIV and HCV protocols, as well as an incipient use of indicators in routine practices.

CONCLUSION

Improving the performance of the care continuum requires appropriation of performance indicators and coordination of care flows at local, regional, and state levels of management.

Hepatitis C disease burden and strategies for elimination by 2030 in Brazil. A mathematical modeling approach

Introduction and aim

Hepatitis C is a key challenge to public health in Brazil. The objective of this paper was to describe the Brazilian strategy for hepatitis C to meet the 2030 elimination goal proposed by World Health Organization (WHO).

Methods

A mathematical modeling approach was used to estimate the current HCV-infected Brazilian population, and to evaluate the relative costs of two different scenarios to address HCV disease burden in Brazil: (1) if no further changes are made to the HCV treatment program in Brazil; (2) where the WHO targets for 2030 elimination are met through diagnosis and treatment efforts peaking before 2024.

Results

An anti-HCV prevalence of 0.53% was calculated for the total population. It was estimated that the number of HCV-RNA+ individuals in Brazil in 2017 was 632,000 (0.31% of the population). Scale-up of treatment and diagnosis over time will be necessary in order to achieve WHO targets beginning in 2018. Direct costs (diagnostic, treatment and healthcare costs) are projected to increase significantly during the scale-up of treatment and diagnosis in the initial years of the intervention scenario, but then fall below the base case on an annual basis by 2025–2036, once HCV is eliminated, due to health sectors savings from the prevention of HCV liver-related morbidity and mortality.

Conclusion

Achieving the WHO targets is technically feasible in Brazil with a scale-up of treatment and diagnosis over time, beginning in 2018. However, elimination of hepatitis C requires policy changes to substantially scale-up prevention, screening and treatment of HCV, together with public health advocacy to raise awareness among affected populations and healthcare providers.

Characteristics of a hepatitis C patient cohort at a specialized tertiary care facility: Identifying criteria to improve the allocation of public health resources

OBJECTIVES

Our objective was to analyze, in a population treated for hepatitis C infection at a tertiary care treatment unit, the prevalence of comorbidities and extrahepatic manifestations, the range and degree of the clinical complexity and the associations between advanced liver disease and clinical variables.

METHODS

Medical records from chronically infected hepatitis C patients seen at a dedicated treatment facility for complex cases in the Infectious Diseases Division of Hospital das Clínicas in Brazil were analyzed. Clinical complexity was defined as the presence of one or more of the following conditions: advanced liver disease (Metavir score F3 or F4 and/or clinical manifestations or ultrasound/endoscopy findings consistent with cirrhosis) or hepatocellular carcinoma and/or 3 or more extrahepatic manifestations and/or comorbidities concomitantly.

RESULTS

Among the 1574 patients analyzed, only 41% met the definition of being clinically complex. Cirrhosis or hepatocarcinoma was identified in 22.2% and 1.8% of patients, respectively. According to multiple logistic regression analysis, male sex (p=0.007), age>40 years (p<0.001) and the presence of metabolic syndrome (p=0.008) were independently associated with advanced liver disease.

CONCLUSION

The majority of patients did not meet the criteria for admittance to this specialized tertiary service, reinforcing the need to reevaluate public health policies. Enhanced utilization of existing basic and intermediate complexity units for the management of less complex hepatitis C cases could improve care and lower costs.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C in Nepal: a systematic review (1973-2017)

Introduction

Hepatitis B and C represent an important co-infection for people living with HIV worldwide. Nepal wants to be part of the international mobilization for viral hepatitis elimination, and has pursued better understanding of the epidemic in its territory through scientific research.

Methods

We performed a systematic review of seroprevalence studies hepatitis B and C in Nepal following the PRISMA 2009 Flow Diagram.

Results

Fifty-four scientific publications and reports were selected for this review. Nearly a quarter of these documents have been issued in recent years and many are authored by non-governmental organizations in Nepal. The collective of information displays a wide range of alarming prevalence rates, particularly for girls and women survivors of human trafficking and a progressive participation of civil society in viral hepatitis epidemiology research in the country.

Conclusion

This paper presents a most complete review of hepatitis B and C and HIV co-infection prevalence studies in different population groups from 1973 to 2016. A comprehensive analysis of the epidemiology and apparent trends in public health research and policy making in Nepal are also addressed in this document. We expect this to be a most important tool for improvements in future interventions for both epidemics in the country.

Cost-effectiveness of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for chronic hepatitis C: a systematic review of model-based analyses

BACKGROUND

Decisions about which subgroup of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients should be treated with direct acting anti-viral agents (DAAs) have economic importance due to high drug prices. Treat-all DAA strategies for CHC have gained acceptance despite high drug acquisition costs. However, there are also costs associated with the surveillance of CHC to determine a subgroup of patients with significant impairment. The aim of this systematic review was to describe the modelling methods used and summarise results in cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) of both CHC treatment with DAAs and surveillance of liver disease.

METHODS

Electronic databases including Embase and Medline were searched from inception to May 2015. Eligible studies included models predicting costs and/or outcomes for interventions, surveillance, or management of people with CHC. Narrative and quantitative synthesis were conducted. Quality appraisal was conducted using validated checklists. The review was conducted following principles published by NHS Centre for Research and Dissemination.

RESULTS

Forty-one CEAs met the eligibility criteria for the review; 37 evaluated an intervention and four evaluated surveillance strategies for targeting DAA treatment to those likely to gain most benefit. Included studies were of variable quality mostly due to reporting omissions. Of the 37 CEAs, eight models that enabled comparative analysis were fully appraised and synthesized. These models provided non-unique cost-effectiveness estimates in a specific DAA comparison in a specific population defined in terms of genotype, prior treatment status, and presence or absence of cirrhosis. Marked heterogeneity in cost-effectiveness estimates was observed despite this stratification. Approximately half of the estimates suggested that DAAs were cost-effective considering a threshold of US$30,000 and 73% with threshold of US$50,000. Two models evaluating surveillance strategies suggested that treating all CHC patients regardless of the staging of liver disease could be cost-effective.

CONCLUSIONS

CEAs of CHC treatments need to better account for variability in their estimates. This analysis suggested that there are still circumstances where DAAs are not cost-effective. Surveillance in place of a treat-all strategy may still need to be considered as an option for deploying DAAs, particularly where acquisition cost is at the limit of affordability for a given health system.

Epidemiology of viral hepatitis in the Republic of Congo: review

Objective

Considered an endemic zone, Republic of Congo has a high seroprevalence rate of hepatitis B and C virus. To know the extent of hepatitis infection as a public health problem, we reviewed published literature and other sources for reports of these viral infections in the country.

Results

High seroprevalence of HBV and HCV carriage in blood donors were observed in studies confirming Congo’s place in the hyperendemic area of HBV and HCV infection. These prevalence were compared by Chi square test. We compared the prevalence of three studies conducted in 1996, 2015 and 2016. The statistical results were very significant. HBV genotype E was most prevalent. Very few studies were done on pregnant women. Difficulties in the care and management of patients were also noted because of the high cost of often unavailable treatments. Difficulties arise, however, when an attempt was made to implement the National Hepatitis Control Program. Despite studies conducted on hepatitis prevalence, health interventions are still needed to care and manage these patients and the need to implement the national hepatitis control is more pressing in the Congo.

Micro-costing analysis of guideline-based treatment by direct-acting agents: the real-life case of hepatitis C management in Brazil

BACKGROUND

Eradication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) using direct-acting agents (DAA) has been associated with a financial burden to health authorities worldwide. We aimed to evaluate the guideline-based treatment costs by DAAs from the perspective of the Brazilian Ministry of Health (BMoH).

METHODS

The activity based costing method was used to estimate the cost for monitoring/treatment of genotype-1 (GT1) HCV patients by the following strategies: peg-interferon (PEG-IFN)/ribavirin (RBV) for 48 weeks, PEG-IFN/RBV plus boceprevir (BOC) or telaprevir (TEL) for 48 weeks, and sofosbuvir (SOF) plus daclastavir (DCV) or simeprevir (SIM) for 12 weeks. Costs were reported in United States Dollars without (US$) and with adjustment for purchasing power parity (PPP$). Drug costs were collected at the National Database of Health Prices and an overview of the literature was performed to assess effectiveness of SOF/DCV and SOF/SIM regimens in real-world cohorts.

RESULTS

Treatment costs of GT1-HCV patients were PPP$ 43,176.28 (US$ 24,020.16) for PEG-IFN/RBV, PPP$ 71,196.03 (US$ 39,578.23) for PEG-IFN/RBV/BOC and PPP$ 86,250.33 (US$ 47,946.92) for PEG-IFN/RBV/TEL. Treatment by all-oral interferon-free regimens were the less expensive approach: PPP$ 19,761.72 (US$ 10,985.90) for SOF/DCV and PPP$ 21,590.91 (US$ 12,002.75) for SOF/SIM. The overview reported HCV eradication in up to 98% for SOF/DCV and 96% for SOF/SIM.

CONCLUSION

Strategies with all oral interferon-free might lead to lower costs for management of GT1-HCV patients compared to IFN-based regimens in Brazil. This occurred mainly because of high discounts over international DAA prices due to negotiation between BMoH and pharmaceutical industries.

Prevalence of naturally occurring NS5A resistance-associated substitutions in patients infected with hepatitis C virus subtype 1a, 1b, and 3a, co-infected or not with HIV in Brazil

BACKGROUND

Non-structural 5A protein (NS5A) resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) have been identified in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), even prior to exposure to direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). Selection for these variants occurs rapidly during treatment and, in some cases, leads to antiviral treatment failure. DAAs are currently the standard of care for hepatitis C treatment in many parts of the world. Nevertheless, in Brazil, the prevalence of pre-existing NS5A RASs is largely unknown. In this study, we evaluated the frequency of naturally occurring NS5A RASs in Brazilian patients infected with HCV as either a monoinfection or coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

METHODS

Direct Sanger sequencing of the NS5A region was performed in 257 DAA-naïve patients chronically infected with HCV (156 monoinfected with HCV and 101 coinfected with HIV/HCV).

RESULTS

The frequencies of specific RASs in monoinfected patients were 14.6% for HCV GT-1a (M28 V and Q30H/R), 6.0% for GT-1b (L31F/V and Y93H), and 22.6% for GT-3a (A30K and Y93H). For HIV/HCV-coinfected patients, the frequencies of RAS were 3.9% for GT-1a (M28 T and Q30H/R), and 11.1% for GT-1b (Y93H); no RASs were found in GT-3a sequences.

CONCLUSIONS

Substitutions that may confer resistance to NS5A inhibitors exist at baseline in Brazilian DAA-naïve patients infected with HCV GT-1a, -1b, and -3a. Standardization of RAS definitions is needed to improve resistance analyses and to facilitate comparisons of substitutions reported across studies worldwide. Therapeutic strategies should be optimized to efficiently prevent DAA treatment failure due to selection for RASs, especially in difficult-to-cure patients.

Age-standardized mortality rates related to viral hepatitis in Brazil

Background

Liver-related mortality has been increasing worldwide. We aimed to estimate the age-standardized mortality rates from viral hepatitis in Brazil.

Methods

The Brazilian National Death Registry was analyzed from 2008 to 2014. Viral hepatitis deaths were defined by the following ICD-10 codes in the death certificate: hepatitis A [B15.0; B15.9]; hepatitis B [B16.2; B16.9; B18.1]; hepatitis C [B17.1; B18.2]; hepatitis Delta [B16.0; B16.1; B18.0; B17.0] and other viral hepatitis [B17.2; B17.8; B18.8; B18.9; B19.0; B19.9]. Crude mortality rates were calculated by the ratio between total number of deaths and estimated population. Mortality rates were age-standardized by the direct method using the WHO standard population.

Results

Thirty four thousand ,nine hundred seventy eight deaths had viral hepatitis mentioned in their death certificate [65% male, aged 58 years, 73% associated with hepatitis C]. Age-standardized mortality rate (95% CI) due to viral hepatitis was 2.695 (2.667–2.724) deaths per 100,000 inhabitants: South region had the higher rates [3.997 (3.911–4.085)]. Mortality rates associated with hepatitis A and Delta were 0.032 (0.029–0.035) and 0.028 (0.025–0.031), respectively. Hepatitis C mortality rates were 4-fold higher than those associated with hepatitis B [1.964 (1.940–1.989) vs 0.500 (0.488–0.512)]. South region had the higher rates for hepatitis C [3.163 (3.087–3.241)] and North had the higher rates for hepatitis A [0.066 (0.049–0.087)], B [0.986 (0.918–1.058)] and Delta [0.220 (0.190–0.253)].

Conclusion

Viral hepatitis remains a major public health issue in Brazil. Mortality rates were not homogeneous across the country, suggesting that health policies should be customized according to geographical location.

Electronic supplementary material

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