Estimating the impact of displacement from Ukraine on HBV and HCV prevalence among migrants in the European Union, 2024: a modeling study

Abstract

Background: In countries with low baseline burdens of hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV, HCV), high levels of migration can impact the burden of viral hepatitis. The screening and treatment of migrants requires different methods and sensitivities than broad-based programs. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of HBV and HCV among migrants in EU-27 countries in 2024. The Ukrainian Refugee Crisis was also quantified. Methods: Using the United Nations 2024 migrant stock data, we estimated the migrant population for each EU-27 country by five-year age and sex cohorts by country of birth. These distributions were multiplied by five-year age and sex prevalence estimates in the country-of-birth models maintained by the Polaris Observatory. The difference between the 2024 and 2020 Ukrainian migrant stock was quantified to estimate the impact of the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis. Findings: In 2024, there were an estimated 1.73 million (UI: 1.04-2.66 million) migrants living with HBV and 1.03 million (UI: 757,000-1,559,000) living with anti-HCV in the EU-27, corresponding to migrant prevalences of 2.73% (UI: 1.6-4.2%) and 1.53% (UI: 1.2-2.5%) respectively. The Ukrainian Refugee Crisis is estimated to have resulted in an additional 43,000 (UI: 28,700-60,900) migrants living with HBV, and 154,000 (UI: 12,500-202,000) with HCV in the EU-27. Interpretation: The burden of HBV and HCV among migrants and which communities are most affected in the EU-27 at the national level are vastly heterogeneous. These data provide evidence for policy makers to better understand the burden their community faces so that they can be better poised to develop culturally appropriate materials and outreach. While there is a great deal of uncertainty regarding the number of migrants by country, as well as the prevalence among these groups, this work provides direction towards which groups are most likely impacted at the EU-27 and national level.