Overcoming barriers to HCV screening in Latin America: From evidence to action

作者：Javier Crespo, Jose Luis Calleja, Ezequiel Ridruejo, Marta Alonso‐Peña, Joaquín Cabezas, Graciela Elia Castro-Narro, Nelia Hernández, Hugo Cheinquer, Fernando Contreras, Christie Perelló, Manuel Mendizábal, Fernando Cairo, Mário Guimarães Pessôa, Eduardo Emerim, Patricia Guerra Salazar, Rodrigo Zapata, Alejandro Soza, Leyla Maria Nazal Ortiz, Oscar Beltrán, Javier Hernández-Blanco, Martín Garzón, Pablo Coste, Marianela Alvarado Salazar, Mirtha Infante-Velázquez, Enrique Carrera Estupiñán, Javier Mora, Mark Valdez, J.M. Moreno, J. Antonio Velarde-Ruiz Velasco, Tania Mayorga Marina, Miguel Antonio Mayo, Enrique Adames, Marcos Girala, Jorge Garavito-Rentería, Kriss Rodríguez Romero, Federico Rodríguez-Pérez, Rocío Galloso Gentillea, Lucy Dagher, Victoria Mainardi · 发表于：Annals of Hepatology · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1016/j.aohep.2026.102189 · 被引用次数：2 · 研究领域：Hepatitis C virus research、Diabetes Management and Education、HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a major global public health challenge. Despite the availability of highly effective therapies capable of curing the vast majority of patients, millions remain undiagnosed and often present for medical care at advanced stages of disease. This delay not only increases mortality and the burden of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma but also affects quality of life, productivity, and healthcare system costs. In this context, screening emerges as a cornerstone for achieving HCV elimination. It enables the identification of hidden cases, early treatment initiation, prevention of complications, and reduction of community transmission. At the population level, prioritizing individuals with the highest likelihood of transmitting infection produces a multiplier effect, while both universal and risk-based strategies have consistently proven cost-effective, generating medium-term savings. In Latin America, the epidemiological landscape is heterogeneous. While overall prevalence in the general population is relatively low, high endemicity persists in vulnerable groups such as people who inject drugs, incarcerated individuals, and patients undergoing hemodialysis. Major barriers include fragmented health systems, lack of clinical registries, stigma, and restricted access to diagnosis and therapy. Yet, the region also holds clear opportunities: simplified diagnostic pathways using rapid testing and reflex algorithms, micro-elimination in...