Since the advent of direct-acting antivirals, elimination of hepatitis C viral (HCV) infections seems within reach. However, studies on the HCV cascade of care show suboptimal progression through each step for all patient groups. Loss to follow-up (LTFU) is a major issue and is a barrier to HCV elimination. This review summarizes the scale of the LTFU problem and proposes a micro-elimination approach. Retrieving LTFU patients and re-engaging them with care again has shown to be feasible in the Netherlands. Micro-elimination through retrieval can contribute to reaching the World Health Organization's viral hepatitis elimination targets by 2030.
Keywords: cascade of care; hepatitis C; lost to follow-up; micro-elimination.
© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Viral Hepatitis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.