Thalassemic patients, especially in limited resources settings, are prone to multi-transfusion acquired Hepatitis C virus (HCV). After the discovery of direct acting antivirals (DAAs), many programs were designed to achieve HCV eradication both on the macro-elimination and micro-elimination axes. Thalassemic patients are good candidates to be addressed by a unique HCV micro-elimination model since they face some challenges during their treatment journey. Some of these challenges are the young age at infection, frequent blood transfusion, polypharmacy, drug–drug interactions, pharmacokinetic considerations and the risk of reinfection. The available data of success rates of HCV cure in thalassemic patients alert that the success rate in thalassemic patients might be lower than that reported in general population. These factors make HCV micro-elimination model, a hurdle towards the 2030 world health organisation (WHO) HCV eradication plan.
Part of the book: Blood