SynthesisPloS one2026
Hepatitis C distribution across diverse population groups in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: An umbrella review.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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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.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Cross-Model Explainability Consistency in Hepatitis C Stage Classification: A SHAP, LIME, and Counterfactual Analysis Across Five Machine Learning Architectures.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundHepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major public health challenge in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), with prevalence varying across population groups. This umbrella review summarizes the distribution of HCV infection across diverse populations in the region.
methodsWe conducted an umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses reporting HCV prevalence in the EMR. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Iranian databases, including Magiran and the Scientific Information Database (SID), were searched. Google Scholar was additionally screened to ensure comprehensive coverage. Pooled estimates were extracted across four population groups: apparently healthy individuals; those with clinical or healthcare-associated exposure risk; patients co-infected with hepatitis viruses or other liver-related diseases; and key populations at increased risk (groups disproportionately affected due to their behaviors and higher vulnerability). For time-period analyses, meta-analyses were grouped into two intervals (before 2015 vs. 2015 and after) based on the median year of data collection of primary studies. Pooled prevalence was calculated using a random-effects model in STATA version 17.
resultsA total of 55 meta-analyses were included. The pooled HCV prevalence was 31.0% (95% CI: 27.0-38.0) among key populations, and also 31.0% (95% CI: 12.0-49.0) among patients co-infected with other hepatitis viruses or liver-related diseases. Those with clinical or healthcare-associated exposure risk showed a prevalence of 28.0% (95% CI: 23.0-32.0), whereas the apparently healthy population had the lowest prevalence at 2.0% (95% CI: 1.0-2.0). Subgroup analysis indicated a decline in prevalence among clinically exposed populations after 2015, from 29% to 10%, coinciding with the direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and strengthened infection-control practices. The highest prevalence was observed among key populations in Libya, healthcare-exposed populations in Morocco, and apparently healthy individuals in Egypt.
conclusionVariation in HCV prevalence across populations in the EMR highlights the need for population-specific strategies to support progress toward World Health Organization elimination targets.
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