Trial reportBMC infectious diseases2021
A multicentre interventional study to assess blood-borne viral infections in Belgian prisons.
Trial report in BMC infectious diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04366492 (Prevalence of Blood Borne Viral Infections), which is not on this map. Cited by 9 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Prevalence of Blood Borne Viral Infections (HBV/HCV/HIV) in the Belgian Prison System
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- Blood-borne virus testing in European emergency departments: current evidence and service considerations.European journal of public health · 2025Pooled it
- Hepatitis C prevalence in incarcerated settings between 2013-2021: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC public health · 2022Pooled it
- Prevalence and Factors Associated With Hepatitis C in Danish Prisons, 2022-2024: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of viral hepatitis · 2026Article
- Acceptability of HBV, HCV, and HIV screening among injured patients presenting to the adult emergency department in Blantyre, Malawi.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Prevalence of blood-borne virus infections and uptake of hepatitis C testing and treatment in Australian prisons: the AusHep study.The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2024Article
- Who declines "opt-out" HIV/HCV testing? Experience of an internal medicine resident continuity clinic serving a predominantly Black adult population in South Carolina.Journal of the National Medical Association · 2024Article
- Hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infections and associated factors among prisoners in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia.PloS one · 2024Article
- Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and associated risk behaviors in prisoners: A systematic review.Health science reports · 2022Article
- Ten years countdown to hepatitis C elimination in Belgium: a mathematical modeling approach.BMC infectious diseases · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
16 authors at 7 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPrevalence data on viral hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and HIV infection in prison are often scarce or outdated. There is currently no systematic screening for these blood-borne viral infections (BBV) in Belgian prisons. There is an urgency to assess the prevalence of these BBV to inform policymakers and public healthcare.
methodsThis was a multicentre, interventional study to assess the prevalence of BBV using opt-in screening in prisons across Belgium, April 2019 - March 2020. Prisoners were tested using a finger prick and BBV risk factors were assessed using a questionnaire. A generalized linear mixed model was used to investigate the association between the various risk factors and HCV.
resultsIn total, 886 prisoners from 11 Belgian prisons were screened. Study uptake ranged from 16.9 to 35.4% in long-term facilities. The prevalence of HCV antibodies (Ab), hepatitis B surface antigen (Ag) and HIV Ab/Ag was 5.0% (44/886), 0.8% (7/886), and 0.2% (2/886). The adjusted odds for HCV Ab were highest in prisoners who ever injected (p < 0.001; AOR 24.6 CI 95% (5.5-215.2). The prevalence of detectable HCV RNA in the total cohort was 2.1% (19/886). Thirteen (68.4%) prisoners were redirected for follow-up of their HCV infection.
conclusionsOpt-in testing for viral hepatitis B, C and HIV was relatively well-accepted in prisons. Compared with the general population, prisoners have a higher prevalence of infection with BBV, especially for HCV. Systematic screening for these BBV should be recommended in all prisons, preferably using opt-out to optimize screening uptake.
trial registrationRetrospectively registered at clinical trials NCT04366492 April 29, 2020.
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