Therapy as prevention toward HCV elimination in maintenance hemodialysis: a multi-center, prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization has established interim guidance for hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination. We aimed to prove the concept of “treatment as prevention” by conducting a prospective HCV elimination program for hemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS: A universal HCV screen was launched in 22 HD centers in 2019. HCV-viremic patients were linked to care with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). The second screen was performed in 2021 to evaluate the effect of link-to-care in lowering the prevalence of HCV viremia and the incidence of HCV new/re-infections. RESULTS: Of 2336 patients enrolled in the first screening in 2019, 320 (13.7%) were seropositive for anti-HCV and 181 (7.7%) were HCV-viremic. Of 152 patients successfully linked to treat with DAA, 140 (92.1%) patients achieved a sustained virological response. Of them, 1733 patients participated in the second surveillance. Five anti-HCV-negative patients experienced anti-HCV seroconversion. Of 119 DAA-cured patients and 102 spontaneous HCV clearance patients, none had HCV reinfection. The annual incidence of HCV new infection was 0.1%. Sixty-one of the 620 (9.8%) newly enrolled patients were anti-HCV-seropositive in the second survey. The overall HCV-viremic rate decreased from 7.7% in 2019 to 0.6% (15/2353) in 2021. At the institutional level, 45.5% (10/22) eradicated HCV and 82% (18/22) of HD units had no HCV new infections or reinfections. CONCLUSIONS: The link-to-care project proved the concept of “treatment as prevention” by which HCV microelimination helps to prevent reinfection and new infections in the HD population. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03803410 and NCT03891550.