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Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major global health problem. WHO guidelines recommend screening all people living with HIV for hepatitis C. Considering the limited resources for health in low and middle income countries, targeted HCV screening is potentially a more feasible screening strategy for many HIV cohorts. Hence there is an interest in developing clinician-friendly tools for selecting subgroups of HIV patients for whom HCV testing should be prioritized. Several statistical methods have been developed to predict a binary outcome. Multiple studies have compared the performance of different predictive models, but results were inconsistent.Methods: A cross-sectional HCV diagnostic study was conducted in the HIV cohort of Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We compared the performance of logistic regression, Spiegelhalter-Knill-Jones and CART to predict Hepatitis C co-infection in this cohort. We estimated the number of HCV co-infections that would be missed. To correct for over-optimism, the leave-one-out bootstrap estimator was used for estimating this quantity.Results: Logistic regression misses the fewest HCV co-infections (8%), but would still refer 98% of HIV patients for HCV testing. Spiegelhalter-Knill-Jones (SKJ) and CART respectively miss 12% and 29% of HCV co-infections but would only refer about 30% for HCV testing.Conclusions: In our dataset, logistic regression has the highest log-likelihood and smallest proportions of HCV co-infections missed but Spiegelhalter-Knill-Jones has the highest area under the ROC curve. The likelihood ratios estimated by Spiegelhalter-Knill-Jones might be easier to interpret for clinicians than odds ratios estimated by logistic regression or the decision tree from CART. CART is the most flexible method, and no model has to be specified regarding presence of interactions and form of the relationship between outcome and predictor variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epidemiology of hepatitis C in Cambodia is not well-known. We evaluated the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and risk factors in the HIV cohort of Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope in Phnom Penh to strengthen the evidence for suitable HCV testing strategies among people living with HIV (PLWH) in Cambodia. All consenting adult PLWH without a history of HCV treatment were tested for HCV between November 2014 and May 2016 according to the CDC algorithm (HCV antibody II electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay, followed by COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS® TaqMan® HCV PCR and INNO-LIA® HCV Score immunoblot end-testing). Genotyping was performed using the line probe assay Versant HCV genotype 2.0®. The study enrolled a total of 3045 patients (43% males, median age: 42.5 years, <1% high-risk). HCV antibodies were detected in 230 (7.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.6–8.5). Upon further testing, HCV antibodies were confirmed in 157 (5.2%; 95% CI 4.4–6.0) and active HCV in 106 (3.5%; 95% CI 2.8–4.2). Viremic prevalence peaked among men aged 50–55 years (7.3%) and women aged >55 years (11.2%). Genotype 1b (45%) and 6 (41%) were predominant. Coinfected patients had a higher aspartate-to-platelet ratio index, lower platelets, a lower HBsAg positivity rate and more frequent diabetes. Based on logistic regression, blood transfusion antecedents (adjusted odds ratio 2.9; 95% CI 1.7–4.9), unsafe medical injections (2.0; 1.3–3.2), and partner (3.4; 1.5–7.6) or household member (2.4; 1.3–3.2) with liver disease were independently associated with HCV in women. However, having a tattoo/scarification (1.9; 1.1–3.4) and household member (3.1; 1.3–7.3) with liver disease were associated with HCV in men. Thus, our study found intermediate endemicity of active hepatitis C in a large Cambodian HIV cohort and provides initial arguments for targeted HCV screening (>50 years, partner/household member with liver disease, diabetes, increased aspartate-to-platelet ratio index) as efficient way forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In light of the limitations of the current case finding strategies and the global urgency to improve tuberculosis (TB) case-detection, a renewed interest in active case finding (ACF) has risen. The WHO calls for more evidence on innovative ways of TB screening, especially from low-income countries, to inform global guideline development. We aimed to assess the feasibility of community-based ACF for TB among the urban poor in Cambodia and determine its impact on case detection, treatment uptake and outcome. Methods: Between 9/2/2012-31/3/2013 the Sihanouk Hospital Center of HOPE conducted a door-to-door survey for TB in deprived communities of Phnom Penh. TB workers and community health volunteers performed symptom screening, collected sputum and facilitated specimen transport to the laboratories. Fluorescence microscopy was introduced at three referral hospitals. The GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay (Xpert) was performed at tertiary level for individuals at increased risk of HIV-associated, drug-resistant or smear-negative TB. Mobile phone/short message system (SMS) was used for same-day issuing of positive results. TB workers contacted diagnosed patients and referred them for care at their local health centre. Results: In 14 months, we screened 315.874 individuals; we identified 12.201 aged ≥15 years with symptoms suggestive of TB; 84% provided sputum. We diagnosed 783, including 737 bacteriologically confirmed, TB cases. Xpert testing yielded 41% and 48% additional diagnoses among presumptive HIV-associated and multidrug-resistant TB cases, respectively. The median time from sputum collection to notification (by SMS) of the first positive (microscopy or Xpert) result was 3 days (IQR 2–6). Over 94% commenced TB treatment and 81% successfully completed it. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that among the urban poor ACF for TB, using a sensitive symptom screen followed by smear-microscopy and targeted Xpert, contributed to improved case detection of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant TB, shortening the diagnostic delay, and successfully bringing patients into care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]