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Chronic hepatitis C virus infection in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: an analysis of patient and virus characteristics

  • Original article
  • Published:
International Journal of Public Health

Abstract

Objectives

The MOSAIC study gathered data on chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and its treatment in various countries worldwide. Here we summarise patient and HCV characteristics in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Methods

MOSAIC was an observational study that included patients with chronic HCV infection untreated at the time of enrolment. Study collected and descriptively analysed patient demographics, disease stage and viral characteristics. Data were collected between February 2014 to October 2014.

Results

Among 220 patients enrolled, 51.4% were treatment-naïve. The most prevalent HCV genotype was G1 (78.4%), followed by G3 (19.7%). Higher prevalence of G1 was found in treatment-experienced patients (94.3%) compared to treatment-naïve (63.4%). Most participants (67.7%) presented viral RNA load of ≥ 800,000 IU/mL. Liver cirrhosis was reported in 24.5% of patients. Higher HCV RNA load and duration of HCV infection correlated with the degree of liver fibrosis. Anti-HCV interferon-based treatments were initiated in 88.2% of participants.

Conclusions

The study confirmed significant changes in the HCV genotypes partition with G3 genotype rapidly increasing in both countries, with possible impact on the WHO eradication initiative and treatment selection.

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Funding

The study was sponsored by AbbVie. The preparation of the manuscript (medical writing and linguistic assistance) was sponsored by AbbVie. The authors thank Proper Medical Writing, Warsaw, Poland, in particular Grzegorz Rychlik for medical writing. We thank the study participants, investigators, and coordinators who made this study possible.

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Correspondence to Marian Oltman.

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Lubomír Skladaný has served as a consultant to companies Astellas, Abbvie, Gilead, and MSD. He has also received research funding from Abbvie, and speaker fees from Abbvie, MSD, and Gilead.

Marian Oltman has served as a consultant to Abbvie, Gilead and MSD and has received research funding and speaker fees from Abbvie, Gilead, and MSD.

Soňa Fraňková has served a consultant to Gilead Sciences, Abbvie, MSD and received speaker fees from Gilead Sciences, Abbvie, and MSD.

Sylvia Dražilová has served as a consultant to Abbvie, Gilead, and MSD, has received research funding from Abbvie and has received speaker fees from Abbvie and Gilead.

Petr Husa has served as a consultant to Abbvie, and has received research funding and speaker fees from Abbvie.

Jan Šperl has served as a consultant to companies Abbvie, Gilead, and MSD. He has also received research funding from Gilead, and speaker fees from Abbvie, MSD, and Gilead.

Václav Hejda has served as a consultant to MSD, Abbvie and received speakers fee from Abbvie, MSD, and Gilead.

Petr Urbánek has served as a consultant to Abbvie, Gilead and MSD, has received research funding from Abbvie and has received speaker fees from Abbvie and Gilead.

Svetlana Adamcová-Selčanová has served as a consultant to companies Astellas, Abbvie, and MSD. She has also received research funding from Abbvie and speaker fees from Abbvie, MSD, and Gilead.

Martin Janičko declares no conflict of interest pertinent to the submitted manuscript.

Pavol Kristian has served as a consultant to Abbvie, MSD, and Gilead Sciences Slovakia and has received research funding and speaker fees from Abbvie, MSD, and Gilead Sciences Slovakia.

Viera Kupčová has served as a consultant to Abbvie and has received speaker fees from Abbvie.

Marek Rác has served a consultant to Promed CS, has received no research funding, has received speaker fees from Abbvie and Gilead.

Ivan Schréter has served as a consultant to Abbvie, Gilead, and MSD and has received speaker fees from Abbvie, MSD, and Gilead.

Ladislav Virág has received research funding and speaker fees from Abbvie, MSD, Gilead.

Adriana Liptáková was an employee of Abbvie and may own Abbvie stock or stock options, she declares no conflict of interest pertinent to the submitted manuscript.

Miriam Ondrášová is an employee of Abbvie and may own Abbvie stock or stock options.

Peter Jarčuška has served a consultant to Abbvie, Gilead, and MSD, has received research funding from Abbvie and has received speaker fees from Abbvie, MSD, and Gilead.

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Skladaný, L., Oltman, M., Fraňková, S. et al. Chronic hepatitis C virus infection in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: an analysis of patient and virus characteristics. Int J Public Health 65, 1723–1735 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-020-01496-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-020-01496-y

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