PREVALENCE OF HIV, HCV AND HBV IN CENTRAL ASIA AND THE CAUCASUS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
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Date
2020
Authors
Davlidova, Salima
Haley-Johnson, Zoë
Nyhan, Kate
Farooq, Ayesha
Vermund, Sten H.
Ali, Syed
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Abstract
Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV)
are substantial public health threats in the region of Central Asia and the Caucasus, where the prevalence
of these infections is currently rising.
Methods: A systematic review of MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO was conducted with no publication
date or language restrictions through October 2019. Additional data were also harvested from national
surveillance reports, references found in discovered sources, and other “grey” literature. It included
studies conducted on high-risk populations (people who inject drugs (PWID), female sex workers (FSW),
men who have sex with men (MSM), prisoners, and migrants) in Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan; and the Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Northern
Caucasus region of the Russian Federation.
Results: Wide ranges were noted for HIV prevalence: PWID 0–30.1%, MSM 0–25.1%, prisoners 0–22.8%,
FSW 0–10.0%, and migrants 0.06–1.5%, with the highest prevalence of these high-risk groups reported in
Kazakhstan (for PWID), Georgia (for MSM and prisoners) and Uzbekistan (for migrants). HCV prevalence
also had a wide range: PWID 0.3–92.1%, MSM 0–18.9%, prisoners 23.8–49.7%, FSW 3.3–17.8%, and
migrants 0.5–26.5%, with the highest prevalence reported in Georgia (92.1%), Kyrgyzstan (49.7%), and
migrants from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan (26.5%). Similarly, HBV prevalence had a wide range: PWID 2.8–
79.7%, MSM 0–22.2%, prisoners 2.7–6.2%, FSW 18.4% (one study), and migrants 0.3–15.7%.
Conclusion: In Central Asia and the Caucasus, prevalence of HIV, HCV and HBV remains exceedingly high
among selected populations, notably PWID and MSM.
Description
Keywords
Type of access: Open Access, Human immunodeficiency virus, Hepatitis C virus, Hepatitis B virus, Central Asia, Caucasus
Citation
Davlidova, S., Haley-Johnson, Z., Nyhan, K., Farooq, A., Vermund, S. H., & Ali, S. (2021). Prevalence of HIV, HCV and HBV in Central Asia and the Caucasus: A systematic review. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 104, 510–525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2020.12.068