Author/year | Country | Period | HCV tests | HCWs | n (n+) | Prevalence % | Controls | n (n+) | Prevalence % | Study quality (scores)* |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prospective studies | ||||||||||
Puro 199524 | Italy | 1992–1993 | Anti-HCV 2, enzyme immunoassay RIBA 2 | S | 3073 (67) | 2.2 | Pr | 11 000 (19) | 1.7 | High (8)1–4 6–8 |
Maillard 199625 | France | 1992–1993 | ELISA 2, PCR | S | 236 (7) | 2.9 | H | 305 (2) | 0.7 | Moderate (6)1 2 5 7 8 |
Cooper†199226 | USA | NA | EIA RIBA 2 | S‡ | 243 (4) | 1.6 | Pr | – | 0.4–1.4 | Moderate (6)1 2 4 7 8 |
Ahmetagic 200627 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2003–2005 | ELISA 3, HCV-RNA | S | 1699 (6) | 0.4 | P | 2000 (4) | 0.2 | Low (4)1 2 5 8 |
Daw 200228 | Libya | 1999–2001 | ELISA | S | 459 (9) | 2 | P§ | 1200 (14) | 1.2 | Low (4)1 2 5 8 |
Mihaly† 200129 | Hungary | 1986–1998 | EIA 2, EIA 3, RIBA 3, PCR | M, NS, CS‡ | 477 (13) | 2.7 | Pr | – | 0.73–1 | Low (4)1 2 8 |
Retrospective studies | ||||||||||
Gershon 200730 | USA | 1999–2000 | HCV 2, RIBA 3 | S | 216 (4) | 1.9 | H | 94 (3) | 3.2 | High (9)1–8 |
Ozsoy 200331 | Turkey | 1998–2000 | Anti-HCV 3 IL, INNOTEST 3, RT-PCR, ELISA | S | 702 (2) | 0.3 | P | 5670 (23) | 0.4 | High (9)1–8 |
Klein 199132 | USA | 1985–1987 | ELISA 1, RIBA | D | 456 (8) | 1.8 | P | 723 (1) | 0.1 | High (9)1–8 |
Sermoneta-Gertel 200133 | Israel | 1995–1997 | EIA 3, RIBA 3 | S | 3657 (34) | 0.9 | H | 630 (3) | 0.5 | High (8)1–4 6–8 |
Thomas 199634 | USA | 1991 | ELISA 1 or ELISA 2, RIBA | NS | 943 (7) | 0.7 | P | 104,239 (417) | 0.4 | High (8)1–5 7 8 |
Struve 199435 | Sweden | NA | EIA 2, Supplementary test | M, NS, L¶ | 797 (5) | 0.6 | H | 83 (1) | 1.2 | High (8)1–5 7 8 |
Braczkowska 200636 | Poland | 2003–2004 | ELISA 3,Westem blot LIA HCV Ab3 | MS | 558 (8) | 1.4 | P | 510 (2) | 0.4 | Moderate (7)1–3 5 6 8 |
Fisker 200437 | Denmark | 1998 | HCV 3, RIBA, PCR | S | 960 (2) | 0.2 | H | 479 (0) | – | Moderate (7)1–5 8 |
Ciorlia 200738 | Brazil | 1994–1999 | ELISA 2 | S | 1433 (25) | 1.7 | H, P | 872 (4) 2583 (6) | 1.3 0.2 | Moderate (7)1–6 8 |
Moens 200039 | Belgium | 1996–1997 | EIA 3, Matrix Abbott und LIA, PCR | S‡ | 4480 (21) | 0.4 | H | 426 (0) | – | Moderate (7)1–3 6–8 |
Thorburn 200140 | Scotland | 1994–1996 | ELISA 3, PCR, RIBA-3 | S, D | 10,654 (27) | 0.3 | H | 471 (3) | 0.6 | Moderate (7)1–3 5 7 8 |
Djeriri 199641 | France | 1993–1994 | EIA 2 RIBA2 | S | 283 (2) | 0.7 | H | 93 (0) | – | Moderate (7)1–3 5 6 8 |
Villate 199342 | Spain | 1991–1992 | ELISA 2, PCR, RIBA 2 | M, L, NS¶ | 874 (14) | 1.6 | P | 547 (2) | 0.4 | Moderate (7)1–5 8 |
Montella 200543 | Italy | 1991 | ELISA 1,ELISA new generation | M, NS, L¶ | 578 (32) | 5.5 | H | 91 (6) | 6.6 | Moderate (7)1 2 4–6 8 |
Kaabia 200944 | Tunisia | 2005 | ELISA Murex 4, ELISA AxSYM Abbott | M, L, P, Mw¶ | 737 (9) | 1.2 | H | 104 (0) | – | Moderate (6)1–3 5 8 |
Irani-Hakime 200145 | Lebanon | 1999 | SM-HCV rapid test, MEIA HCV 3, PCR | S | 502 (2) | 0.4 | P | 600 (1) | 0.2 | Moderate (6)1–3 5 8 |
Campello 199246 | Italy | 1989–1990 | ELISA, HCV neutralisation test | S | 407 (5) | 1.2 | P | 253 (2) | 0.8 | Moderate (6)1 2 4 5 8 |
Polish 199347 | USA | 1983 | Anti-HCV 1 Abbott, HCV neutralisation assay Abbott | S | 1350 (22) | 1.6 | H | 257 (1) | 0.4 | Moderate (6)1 2 5 6 8 |
Perez Trallero 199248 | Spain | NA | ELISA 2, RIBA 2 | S | 251 (4) | 1.6 | P | 377 (8) | 2.1 | Moderate (6)1 2 4 5 8 |
Takahama 200549 | Brazil | NA | ELISA 3, PCR, AxSym Abbott 3 | D | 267 (1) | O.4 | P | 88,241 (304) | 0.3 | Moderate (6)1 2 4 7 8 |
Trevisan 199950 | Italy | NA | EIA, RIBA 3 | S | 809 (9) | 1.1 | H | 408 (8) | 2 | Moderate (6)1 2 4 5 8 |
Weber† 200151 | Switzerland | 1999 | EIA, EIA3, PCR, Immunoblot | D, DS | 1056 (1) | 0.1 | Pr | – | 0.5–1 | Moderate (6)1 2 4 7 8 |
Shapiro† 199652 | USA | 1991 | Immunoassay 1, supplementary neutralisation assay | M | 3262 (27) | 0.8 | Pr | – | 0.09–0.36 | Moderate(6)1 2 4 7 8 |
Goetz† 199553 | USA | NA | EIA 2, RIBA 2, Ortho, PCR | M, D, NS, L‡ | 241 (5) | 1.3 | Pr | – | 0.3 | Moderate (6)1 2 4 7 8 |
Ahmed 201254 | Pakistan | 2007–2009 | ETI-AB-HCV-4 | S | 41 (7) | 17.1 | P | 1959 (103) | 5.3 | Moderate (5)1 4–8 |
Fischer 200055 | USA | 1998 | PCR | S | 502 (0) | – | H | 926 (2) | 0.2 | Moderate (5)1 2 5 7 8 |
De Mercato 199656 | Italy | 1995 | RIBA 2 | S | 472 (12) | 2.5 | P | 285 (8) | 2.8 | Moderate (5)1 2 4 5 8 |
Olubuyide 199757 | Nigeria | 1995 | HCV 3-enzyme Immunoassay Murex | M, D | 75 (8) | 10.7 | P | 25 (3) | 12 | Moderate (5)1 2 4 7 8 |
Al-Sohaibani 199558 | Saudi Arabia | 1992–1994 | UBI HCV EIA, RIBA or LiaTEK HCV 3 | M, MS¶ | 330 (8) | 2.4 | P | 292 (5) | 1.7 | Moderate (5)1 2 5 8 |
Soni 199359 | South Africa | 1991 | EIA 2, EIA 2, Abbott neutralisation EIA | NS | 212 (0) | – | P§ | 35 685 (92) | 0.3 | Moderate (5)1 2 5 8 |
Oguchi 199260 | Japan | 1989 | ELISA 1 or 2, | S | 150 (3) | 2 | P | 704 (7) | 1 | Moderate (5)1 2 4 5 8 |
Nakashima 199361 | Japan | 1987–1988 | ELISA, RIBA | S | 1097 (11) | 1 | P | 526 (5) | 1 | Moderate (5)1 2 5 8 |
Fujiyama 199262 | Japan | NA | ELISA anti-C100 | S | 152 (1) | 0.7 | P | 919 (14) | 1.5 | Moderate (5)1 2 5 8 |
Germanaud** 199463 | France | NA | ELISA 2, RIBA 2 | S | 430 (4) | 0.9 | H | 180 (3) | 1.7 | Moderate (5)1 2 5 8 |
Jindal† 200664 | India | 2003 | Hep-Chex C | S | 100 (4) | 4 | Pr | – | 1.6 | Moderate (5)1 2–4 8 |
Kuo† 199365 | Taiwan | 1990–1991 | EIA 1, EIA 2, PCR | D | 461 (3) | 0.7 | Pr | – | 1 | Moderate (5)1 2 4 8 |
Zaaijer† 201266 | The Netherlands | 2000–2009 | AxSYM HCV, RIBA 3, PCR | S‡ | 729 (1) | 0.1 | Pr | – | 0.6 | Moderate (5)1 2 7 8 |
Zuckerman† 199467 | Scotland | 1986, 1991 | EIA 2, RIBA 2 | S | 1053 (3) | 0.3 | Pr | – | 0.3 | Low (4)1 2 8 |
Jochen** 199268 | Germany | 1992 | EIA 2, Immunoblot 2 | S | 1033 (6) | 0.6 | P | 2113 (5) | 0.2 | Low (4)2 5 8 |
El Gohary 199569 | Egypt | 1990–1992 | EIA 2 | S | 78 (6) | 7.7 | P § | 271 (39) | 14.4 | Low (4)1 2 5 8 |
Polywka 199170 | Germany | NA | ELISA | S | 217 (6) | 2.8 | P | 500 (2) | 0.4 | Low (4)1 2 5 8 |
Hindy 199571 | Egypt | NA | ELISA, Abbott, ALT | DS | 70 (1) | 1.4 | H | 35 (6) | 17.1 | Low (4)1 4 8 |
Khan 201172 | Pakistan | NA | Immunochromatography test, PCR | S | 794 (34) | 4.3 | H | 30 (0) | – | Low (4)1 2 4 8 |
Mijakoski† 201273 | Macedonia | NA | anti-HCV Ab | NS | 54 (0) | – | H | 32 (0) | – | Low (4)1 4 5 8 |
Kondili 200774 | Albania | NA | EIA 3 | S | 460 (3) | 0.7 | H | 22 (0) | – | Low (3)1 5 8 |
Libanore** 199275 | Italy | NA | Immunoassay | S | 1008 (41) | 4.1 | Pr | 3572 (34) | 1 | Low (4)1 2 5 8 |
Mujeeb† 199876 | Pakistan | NA | EIA | S | 114 (5) | 4.4 | Pr | – | 0.7 | Low (4)1 2 4 8 |
Sarkari† 201277 | Iran | 2009–2010 | ELISA 3 | S | 212 (9) | 4.2 | Pr | – | 0.1–0.9 | Low (4)1 2 7 8 |
Vardas 200278 | South Africa | 1996 | ELISA 3, PCR | S | 362 (7) | 1.9 | H | 37 (0) | – | Low (3)1 2 8 |
Shoaei† 201279 | Iran | 2010 | ELISA | L | 203 (0) | – | Pr | – | 0.2 | Low (3)1 2 8 |
De Luca** 199280 | Italy | 1990 | NA | S | 945 (45) | 4.8 | P§ | 3575 (39) | 1.1 | Low (2)2 5 |
() In bold letters: cases confirmed by second test.
*Fulfilled item for quality assessment—see table 1.
†Not included in meta-analysis.
‡Stratified by working area/exposure.
§Further control groups NA.
¶Stratified by professional groups.
**Editor letter.
CS, cleaning staff; D, medical dental staff; DS, dental staff (Medical and Non-Medical); EIA, enzyme immunoassay; H, hospital controls; HCV, viral hepatitis C; HCWs, healthcare workers; L, laboratory staff; M, medical staff; MS, medical students; Mw, midwives; NA, not available; NS, nursing staff; P, population-based controls; Pr, reference data on population-based controls; RIBA, the recombinant immunoblot assay; S, staff/ HCWs.