Title: Retrospective Analysis of Vertical Hepatitis C Exposure and Infection in Children in
Western New York
Version: 2 Date: 04 Feb 2023
Reviewer's report:
Dieye et al. submit a paper describing a retrospective study evaluating HCV testing and positivity
rates among infants born to mothers with HCV in Western NY. The manuscript is over well
written but the following points should be addressed before consideration for publication:
1. The protocol for the study is not entirely clear - obviously most of the data is from after 2019
when the screening program was implemented - not sure why data from prior to 2019 needs to
be included. Were the exposed infants prior to 2019 not tested at all? Or were they just tested at
other sites (before the program directing them to Buffalo for testing was developed). It would
make sense to just focus on 2019 and after, unless the details of the cohort prior to 2019 are
more clearly defined
2. The abstract should include % tested by HCV AB vs. PCR and timing of testing
3. Unclear finding of why testing was more likely to happen when accompanied by a
nonbiological mother - this should be explored in the discussion
4. First paragraph of background is too general - if study is focused on NY no need to discuss
the HCV global epidemiology.
5. The screening program needs to be described better - which providers were encouraged to refer
infants for testing? OB/Gyns? Primary providers? how was this done? Did they have specific
contacts for pediatric practitioners to convey maternal HCV status?
6. It would be helpful to know how many HCV positive pregnancies there were total compared
to how many infants were actually referred for testing (i.e. how well did the screening program
work to capture all infants for testing)
7. There needs to be more data on timing of testing - what infant ages was PCR performed?
HOw about HCV AB?
8. Not sure that in the discussion you can conclude that the screening program worked unless
you have a known increased proportion of hcv exposed infants tested compared to prior
implementation - this data is not presented in the paper
9. Would be helpful to know why Western NY is an important site to evaluate HCV screening
- what is the overall prevalence/ recent epidemiology of HCV in this region?
Title: Retrospective Analysis of Vertical Hepatitis C Exposure and Infection in Children in
Western New York
Version: 2 Date: 04 Feb 2023
Reviewer's report:
Dieye et al. submit a paper describing a retrospective study evaluating HCV testing and positivity
rates among infants born to mothers with HCV in Western NY. The manuscript is over well
written but the following points should be addressed before consideration for publication:
1. The protocol for the study is not entirely clear - obviously most of the data is from after 2019
when the screening program was implemented - not sure why data from prior to 2019 needs to
be included. Were the exposed infants prior to 2019 not tested at all? Or were they just tested at
other sites (before the program directing them to Buffalo for testing was developed). It would
make sense to just focus on 2019 and after, unless the details of the cohort prior to 2019 are
more clearly defined
2. The abstract should include % tested by HCV AB vs. PCR and timing of testing
3. Unclear finding of why testing was more likely to happen when accompanied by a
nonbiological mother - this should be explored in the discussion
4. First paragraph of background is too general - if study is focused on NY no need to discuss
the HCV global epidemiology.
5. The screening program needs to be described better - which providers were encouraged to refer
infants for testing? OB/Gyns? Primary providers? how was this done? Did they have specific
contacts for pediatric practitioners to convey maternal HCV status?
6. It would be helpful to know how many HCV positive pregnancies there were total compared
to how many infants were actually referred for testing (i.e. how well did the screening program
work to capture all infants for testing)
7. There needs to be more data on timing of testing - what infant ages was PCR performed?
HOw about HCV AB?
8. Not sure that in the discussion you can conclude that the screening program worked unless
you have a known increased proportion of hcv exposed infants tested compared to prior
implementation - this data is not presented in the paper
9. Would be helpful to know why Western NY is an important site to evaluate HCV screening
- what is the overall prevalence/ recent epidemiology of HCV in this region?
Please review this paper.
user
Title: Retrospective Analysis of Vertical Hepatitis C Exposure and Infection in Children in
Western New York
Version: 2 Date: 04 Feb 2023
Reviewer's report:
Dieye et al. submit a paper describing a retrospective study evaluating HCV testing and positivity
rates among infants born to mothers with HCV in Western NY. The manuscript is over well
written but the following points should be addressed before consideration for publication:
1. The protocol for the study is not entirely clear - obviously most of the data is from after 2019
when the screening program was implemented - not sure why data from prior to 2019 needs to
be included. Were the exposed infants prior to 2019 not tested at all? Or were they just tested at
other sites (before the program directing them to Buffalo for testing was developed). It would
make sense to just focus on 2019 and after, unless the details of the cohort prior to 2019 are
more clearly defined
2. The abstract should include % tested by HCV AB vs. PCR and timing of testing
3. Unclear finding of why testing was more likely to happen when accompanied by a
nonbiological mother - this should be explored in the discussion
4. First paragraph of background is too general - if study is focused on NY no need to discuss
the HCV global epidemiology.
5. The screening program needs to be described better - which providers were encouraged to refer
infants for testing? OB/Gyns? Primary providers? how was this done? Did they have specific
contacts for pediatric practitioners to convey maternal HCV status?
6. It would be helpful to know how many HCV positive pregnancies there were total compared
to how many infants were actually referred for testing (i.e. how well did the screening program
work to capture all infants for testing)
7. There needs to be more data on timing of testing - what infant ages was PCR performed?
HOw about HCV AB?
8. Not sure that in the discussion you can conclude that the screening program worked unless
you have a known increased proportion of hcv exposed infants tested compared to prior
implementation - this data is not presented in the paper
9. Would be helpful to know why Western NY is an important site to evaluate HCV screening
- what is the overall prevalence/ recent epidemiology of HCV in this region?
assistant