TY - JOUR
T1 - Expected and actual case ascertainment and treatment rates for children infected with hepatitis c in florida and the united states
T2 - Epidemiologic evidence from statewide and nationwide surveys
AU - Delgado-Borrego, Aymin
AU - Smith, Lesley
AU - Jonas, Maureen M.
AU - Hall, Cyndena A.
AU - Negre, Betania
AU - Jordan, Sergio H.
AU - Ogrodowicz, Matthew
AU - Raza, Roshan
AU - Ludwig, David A.
AU - Miller, Tracie
AU - Lipshultz, Steven E.
AU - Gonzalez-Peralta, Regino
AU - Chung, Raymond T.
PY - 2012/11
Y1 - 2012/11
N2 - Objective: To evaluate the rate of pediatric hepatitis C virus (HCV) case ascertainment relative to the estimated number of actual cases. Study design: Data from Florida and United States health departments were used to assess pediatric HCV case ascertainment rates in Florida and nationwide. The percentage of children infected with HCV from Miami-Dade County receiving medical care by a pediatric gastroenterologist was estimated based on data obtained from physician questionnaires. Results: From 2000 through 2009, 2007 children were identified as having positive HCV antibody tests in Florida, only 12% of the expected number (n = 12 155). An estimated 1.6% of the expected children with HCV who tested Ab-positive (37 of 1935) were actively followed by a pediatric gastroenterologist in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Across the United States, only 4.9% of the expected cases have been identified. Conclusions: The identification of children infected with HCV in the nation as a whole is grossly inadequate. Only a small fraction of cases are identified. In Florida, less than 2% of children identified receive treatment. Lack of identification and lack of treatment of children infected with HCV constitute critical public health problems. Strategies to increase awareness of HCV infection and to screen at-risk individuals could substantially improve morbidity and mortality while reducing health care costs.
AB - Objective: To evaluate the rate of pediatric hepatitis C virus (HCV) case ascertainment relative to the estimated number of actual cases. Study design: Data from Florida and United States health departments were used to assess pediatric HCV case ascertainment rates in Florida and nationwide. The percentage of children infected with HCV from Miami-Dade County receiving medical care by a pediatric gastroenterologist was estimated based on data obtained from physician questionnaires. Results: From 2000 through 2009, 2007 children were identified as having positive HCV antibody tests in Florida, only 12% of the expected number (n = 12 155). An estimated 1.6% of the expected children with HCV who tested Ab-positive (37 of 1935) were actively followed by a pediatric gastroenterologist in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Across the United States, only 4.9% of the expected cases have been identified. Conclusions: The identification of children infected with HCV in the nation as a whole is grossly inadequate. Only a small fraction of cases are identified. In Florida, less than 2% of children identified receive treatment. Lack of identification and lack of treatment of children infected with HCV constitute critical public health problems. Strategies to increase awareness of HCV infection and to screen at-risk individuals could substantially improve morbidity and mortality while reducing health care costs.
KW - HCV
KW - Hepatitis C virus
KW - Institute of Medicine
KW - IOM
KW - Medical Emergency Relief International
KW - MERLIN
KW - National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
KW - NHANES
KW - Sustained virologic response
KW - SVR
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84867867556&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84867867556&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.05.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.05.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 22765955
AN - SCOPUS:84867867556
VL - 161
SP - 915
EP - 921
JO - Journal of Pediatrics
JF - Journal of Pediatrics
SN - 0022-3476
IS - 5
ER -