Timely Hepatitis C RNA Testing and Treatment in the Era of Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy among People with Hepatitis C in New South Wales, Australia

This study aimed to identify the factors associated with timely (within four weeks) HCV RNA testing and timely (within six months) DAA initiation following HCV notification in the DAA era. We conducted a cohort study of people with an HCV notification in NSW, Australia. Notifications of positive HCV serology were linked to administrative datasets. Weights were applied to account for spontaneous clearance. Logistic regression analyses were performed. Among 5582 people with an HCV notification during 2016–2017, 3867 (69%) were tested for HCV RNA, including 2770 (50%) who received timely testing. Among an estimated 3925 people with chronic HCV infection, 2372 (60%) initiated DAA therapy, including 1370 (35%) who received timely treatment. Factors associated with timely HCV RNA testing included age (≥30 years), female sex, non-Aboriginal ethnicity, country of birth being Australia, and no history of drug dependence. Factors associated with timely treatment were age (≥30 years), male sex, non-Aboriginal ethnicity, country of birth being Australia, no history of drug dependence, and HCV/HIV co-infection. In the DAA era, 50% of people with an HCV notification did not receive timely HCV RNA testing. Most people with an HCV infection received therapy; however, DAA initiation was delayed among many

Examination of the risk of reinfection with hepatitis C among injecting drug users who have been tested in Glasgow

Unsafe injecting practices put injecting drug users (IDUs) at repeat exposure to infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It has not yet been determined if spontaneously clearing one's primary infection influences the risk of reinfection; our aim was to estimate the relative risk of reinfection in IDUs who have cleared the virus. We conducted a retrospective study using a large database of HCV test results covering Greater Glasgow Health Board during 1993–2007 to calculate rates of infection and reinfection in current/former IDUs. The relative risk of (re)infection in previously infected compared with never-infected IDUs was estimated using Poisson regression, adjusting for age at study entry, sex, and calendar period of test. Although the rate of reinfection in IDUs who were HCV antibody-positive, RNA-negative at baseline was lower (7/100 person-years, 95% CI: 5–9) than the rate of acute infection in IDUs who were HCV antibody-negative at baseline (10/100 person-years, 95% CI: 9–12), the risk of reinfection was not significantly different than the risk of initial infection (adjusted rate ratio = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.57–1.08). We found only weak evidence for a reduced risk of HCV reinfection in IDUs who had cleared their previous infection. Further research among those who have cleared infection through antiviral therapy is needed to help inform decisions regarding treatment of IDUs

Targeted hepatitis C antibody testing interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Testing for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may reduce the risk of liver-related morbidity, by facilitating earlier access to treatment and care. This review investigated the effectiveness of targeted testing interventions on HCV case detection, treatment uptake, and prevention of liver-related morbidity. A literature search identified studies published up to 2013 that compared a targeted HCV testing intervention (targeting individuals or groups at increased risk of HCV) with no targeted intervention, and results were synthesised using meta-analysis. Exposure to a targeted testing intervention, compared to no targeted intervention, was associated with increased cases detected [number of studies (n) = 14; pooled relative risk (RR) 1.7, 95 % CI 1.3, 2.2] and patients commencing therapy (n = 4; RR 3.3, 95 % CI 1.1, 10.0). Practitioner-based interventions increased test uptake and cases detected (n = 12; RR 3.5, 95 % CI 2.5, 4.8; and n = 10; RR 2.2, 95 % CI 1.4, 3.5, respectively), whereas media/information-based interventions were less effective (n = 4; RR 1.5, 95 % CI 0.7, 3.0; and n = 4; RR 1.3, 95 % CI 1.0, 1.6, respectively). This meta-analysis provides for the first time a quantitative assessment of targeted HCV testing interventions, demonstrating that these strategies were effective in diagnosing cases and increasing treatment uptake. Strategies involving practitioner-based interventions yielded the most favourable outcomes. It is recommended that testing should be targeted at and offered to individuals who are part of a population with high HCV prevalence, or who have a history of HCV risk behaviour

Combination interventions to prevent HCV transmission among people who inject drugs: modelling the impact of antiviral treatment, needle and syringe programs, and opiate substitution therapy

BackgroundInterventions such as opiate substitution therapy (OST) and high-coverage needle and syringe programs (HCNSP) cannot substantially reduce hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence among people who inject drugs (PWID). HCV antiviral treatment may prevent onward transmission. We project the impact of combining OST, HCNSP, and antiviral treatment on HCV prevalence/incidence among PWID.MethodsAn HCV transmission model among PWID was used to project the combinations of OST, HCNSP, and antiviral treatment required to achieve different prevalence and incidence reductions within 10 years for 3 chronic prevalence scenarios and the impact of HCV treatment if only delivered through OST programs. Multivariate and univariate sensitivity analyses were performed.ResultsLarge reductions (>45%) in HCV chronic prevalence over 10 years require HCV antiviral treatment. Scaling up OST and HCNSP substantially reduces the treatment rate required to achieve specific HCV prevalence reductions. If OST and HCNSP coverage were increased to 40% each (no coverage at baseline), then annually treating 10, 23, or 42 per 1000 PWID over 10 years would halve prevalence for 20%, 40%, or 60% baseline chronic HCV prevalences, respectively. Approximately 30% fewer treatments are necessary with new direct-acting antivirals. If coverage of OST and HCNSP is 50% at baseline, similar prevalence reductions require higher treatment rates for the same OST and HCNSP coverage.ConclusionsCombining antiviral treatment with OST with HCNSP is critical for achieving substantial reductions (>50%) in HCV chronic prevalence over 10 years. Empirical studies are required on how best to scale up antiviral treatment and combine treatment with other interventions

Point-of-care screening for a current Hepatitis C virus infection: influence on uptake of a concomitant offer of HIV screening

Eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat requires an improved understanding of how to increase testing uptake. We piloted point-of-care testing (POCT) for a current HCV infection in an inner-city Emergency Department (ED) and assessed the influence on uptake of offering concomitant screening for HIV. Over four months, all adults attending ED with minor injuries were first invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire then invited to test in alternating cycles offering HCV POCT or HCV+HIV POCT. Viral RNA was detected in finger-prick blood by GeneXpert. 814/859 (94.8%) questionnaires were returned and 324/814 (39.8%) tests were accepted, comprising 211 HCV tests and 113 HCV+HIV tests. Offering concomitant HIV screening reduced uptake after adjusting for age and previous HCV testing (odds ratio 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.38–0.68; p < 0.001). HCV prevalence was 1/324 (0.31%; 95% CI 0.05–1.73); no participant tested positive for HIV. 167/297 (56.2%) POCT participants lived in the most deprived neighbourhoods in England. HCV RNA testing using finger-prick blood was technically feasible. Uptake was moderate and the offer of concomitant HIV screening showed a detrimental impact on acceptability in this low prevalence population. The findings should be confirmed in a variety of other community settings

A hepatitis C avidity test for determining recent and past infections in both plasma and dried blood spots

DBS testing has been used successfully to detect HCV antibody positive individuals. Determining how long someone has been infected is important for surveillance initiatives. Antibody avidity is a method that can be used to calculate recency of infection. A HCV avidity assay was evaluated for both plasma and DBS. Study design: To measure antibody avidity a commercial HCV ELISA was modified using 7 M urea. The plasma samples were split into: group 1 (recently infected N = 19), group 2 (chronic carrier N = 300) and group 3 (resolved infection N = 82). Mock DBS made from group 1 (N = 12), group 2 (N = 50), group 3 (N = 25) and two seroconverter panels were evaluated. 133 DBS taken from patients known to have a resolved infection or be a chronic carrier were also tested. The avidity assay cut-off was set at AI ≤ 30 for a recent infection. Using sequential samples the assay could detect a recent infection in the first 4–5 months from the point of infection. Most of the false positive results (AI < 30 among cases known not to have had recent infection) were detected among known resolved infections, in both the plasma and DBS; as a result, a testing algorithm has been designed incorporating both PCR and two dilution factors. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay on plasma was 100% and 99.3%, respectively, while DBS had 100% sensitivity and 98.3% specificity. The HCV avidity assay can be used to distinguish between chronic and recent infection using either plasma or DBS as the sample type

High Rates of Hepatitis C Virus Reinfection and Spontaneous Clearance of Reinfection in People Who Inject Drugs: A Prospective Cohort Study

Hepatitis C virus reinfection and spontaneous clearance of reinfection were examined in a highly characterisedcohort of 188 people who inject drugs over a five-year period. Nine confirmed reinfections and 17 possiblereinfections were identified (confirmed reinfections were those genetically distinct from the previous infection andpossible reinfections were used to define instances where genetic differences between infections could not beassessed due to lack of availability of hepatitis C virus sequence data). The incidence of confirmed reinfection was28.8 per 100 person-years (PY), 95%CI: 15.0-55.4; the combined incidence of confirmed and possible reinfectionwas 24.6 per 100 PY (95%CI: 16.8-36.1). The hazard of hepatitis C reinfection was approximately double that ofprimary hepatitis C infection; it did not reach statistical significance in confirmed reinfections alone (hazard ratio [HR]:2.45, 95%CI: 0.87-6.86, p=0.089), but did in confirmed and possible hepatitis C reinfections combined (HR: 1.93,95%CI: 1.01-3.69, p=0.047) and after adjustment for the number of recent injecting partners and duration of injecting.In multivariable analysis, shorter duration of injection (HR: 0.91; 95%CI: 0.83-0.98; p=0.019) and multiple recentinjecting partners (HR: 3.12; 95%CI: 1.08-9.00, p=0.035) were independent predictors of possible and confirmedreinfection. Time to spontaneous clearance was shorter in confirmed reinfection (HR: 5.34, 95%CI: 1.67-17.03,p=0.005) and confirmed and possible reinfection (HR: 3.10, 95%CI: 1.10-8.76, p-value=0.033) than primary infection.Nonetheless, 50% of confirmed reinfections and 41% of confirmed or possible reinfections did not spontaneouslyclear.Conclusions: Hepatitis C reinfection and spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C reinfection were observed at highrates, suggesting partial acquired natural immunity to hepatitis C virus. Public health campaigns about the risks ofhepatitis C reinfection are required