{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,24]],"date-time":"2026-01-24T18:58:15Z","timestamp":1769281095434,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,2]],"date-time":"2022-02-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1643760000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Viruses"],"abstract":"<jats:p>A hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening and treatment program was conducted in Hungarian prisons on a voluntary basis. After HCV-RNA testing and genotyping for anti-HCV positives, treatments with direct-acting antiviral agents were commenced by hepatologists who visited the institutions monthly. Patients were supervised by the prisons\u2019 medical staff. Data were retrospectively collected from the Hungarian Hepatitis Treatment Registry, from the Health Registry of Prisons, and from participating hepatologists. Eighty-four percent of Hungarian prisons participated, meaning a total of 5779 individuals (28% of the inmate population) underwent screening. HCV-RNA positivity was confirmed in 317\/5779 cases (5.49%); 261\/317 (82.3%) started treatment. Ninety-nine percent of them admitted previous intravenous drug use. So far, 220 patients received full treatment and 41 patients are still on treatment. Based on the available end of treatment (EOT) + 24 weeks timepoint data, per protocol sustained virologic response rate was 96.8%. In conclusion, the Hungarian prison screening and treatment program, with the active participation of hepatologists and the prisons\u2019 medical staff, is a well-functioning model. Through the Hungarian experience, we emphasize that the \u201ctest-and-treat\u201d principle is feasible and effective at micro-eliminating HCV in prisons, where infection rate, as well as history of intravenous drug usage, are high.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/v14020308","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,6]],"date-time":"2022-02-06T20:40:18Z","timestamp":1644180018000},"page":"308","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Hepatitis C Screening and Treatment Program in Hungarian Prisons in the Era of Direct Acting Antiviral Agents"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Kl\u00e1ra","family":"Werling","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgery, Transplantation and Gastroenterology, Semmelweis University, 1082 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"B\u00e9la","family":"Hunyady","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gastroenterology, Somogy County Kaposi M\u00f3r Teaching Hospital, 7400 Kaposv\u00e1r, Hungary"},{"name":"First Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Center, University of P\u00e9cs, 7624 P\u00e9cs, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mih\u00e1ly","family":"Makara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Szent L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Site, South-Pest Central Hospital, 1097 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Krisztina","family":"Nemesi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Szent L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Site, South-Pest Central Hospital, 1097 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"G\u00e1bor","family":"Horv\u00e1th","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hepatology Center of Buda, 1111 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0610-5308","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ferenc","family":"Schneider","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectology, Markusovszky University Teaching Hospital, 9700 Szombathely, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Judit","family":"Enyedi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectology, Markhot Ferenc Teaching Hospital and Clinic, 3300 Eger, Hungary"},{"name":"Department of Infectology, Dr. Kenessey Albert Hospital, 2660 Balassagyarmat, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Zs\u00f3fia","family":"M\u00fcller","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectology, Szent Gy\u00f6rgy University Teaching Hospital of County Fej\u00e9r, 8000 Sz\u00e9kesfeh\u00e9rv\u00e1r, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mikl\u00f3s","family":"Lesch","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectology, Szabolcs-Szatm\u00e1r-Bereg County Hospitals J\u00f3sa Andr\u00e1s Teaching Hospital, 4412 Ny\u00edregyh\u00e1za, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9658-153X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zolt\u00e1n","family":"P\u00e9terfi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Center, University of P\u00e9cs, 7624 P\u00e9cs, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tam\u00e1s","family":"T\u00f3th","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine and Oncology, Semmelweis University, 1083 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Judit","family":"G\u00e1cs","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Institute of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, Szent L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Site, South-Pest Central Hospital, 1097 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Zsuzsanna","family":"Feh\u00e9r","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectology, Markusovszky University Teaching Hospital, 9700 Szombathely, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Eszter","family":"Ujhelyi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mikromikomed Ltd., 1036 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Emese","family":"Moln\u00e1r","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Transfusiology, Semmelweis University, 1089 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Nemes Nagy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health, Hungarian Prison Services, 1054 Budapest, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.1038\/nrgastro.2016.176","article-title":"Global epidemiology and burden of HCV infection and HCV-related disease","volume":"14","author":"Thrift","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nat. 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