Meta-analysis of 9 studies estimates HCV seroprevalence of 3.63% among African refugees and displaced persons

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people (RASIDP) in Africa, a marginalized population frequently overlooked in public health surveillance. The authors searched Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, APA PsycINFO, and the WHO Africa Index Medicus to identify eligible studies reporting HCV seroprevalence in RASIDP communities across Africa.

Nine studies were included. Seroprevalence estimates were pooled using a random-effects model, with data stratified by participant region of origin, age, and gender. The overall pooled HCV seroprevalence was 3.63% (95% CI: 0.54, 9.16), a wide interval that reflects substantial between-study variability.

Subgroup analyses showed that seroprevalence varied by region and age. RASIDP from Northern Africa had the highest pooled estimate at 10.03% (95% CI: 9.03, 11.13), and those aged over 40 years had a pooled seroprevalence of 5.70% (95% CI: 0.81, 14.21). Gender-stratified estimates were referenced in the methods but specific values were not reported in the abstract.

The abstract did not report safety or tolerability data, as the analysis focused on prevalence rather than intervention. Limitations include the small number of included studies, the wide confidence intervals surrounding the pooled estimate and the age subgroup, and inherent heterogeneity across observational studies of displaced populations. Funding sources and conflicts of interest were not reported in the abstract.

Clinically, these findings support the case for targeted HCV screening in RASIDP communities in Africa, particularly for individuals originating from Northern Africa and those over 40 years of age, while recognizing that the pooled estimate carries considerable uncertainty.