Abstract
Background
Individuals living with HIV infection and/or Hep C infection and unaware of their infected status are at risk of significant morbidity and a risk to public health. It has been recommended that all conscious adults presenting to Emergency Departments (EDs) be tested for HIV and increasingly testing for Hep C. Testing of all arrivals is important because a majority of both infections may not present signature signs or symptoms associated with the reason for the ED visit. For these reasons, the implementation of a bundled HIV/HepC testing protocol is reported here.
Methods
Data from 4 years of HIV/Hep C screening of patients 18 to 64 years old made in 9 EDs in the Houston Metropolitan Area are reviewed. Screening for HIV was using HIV fourth-generation ADVIA Centaur™ Ag/Ab COMBO (Siemens) and Hep C was tested for using Gilead Hep C Ab testing.
Results
During January 2013 until October 2016, 3,976 HIV/Hep C test bundles were performed. There were 40 (1.0%) HIV+ and 407 (10.2%) Hep C positive detected. Nine (0.2%) of these individuals were positive for both HIV and Hep C. A 22.5% of HIV-positive patients were co-infected with Hep C. The population had a median age of 53 years, comprising an equal number of males and females.
Conclusion
A significant prevalence of Hep C (10%) and HIV (1%) was found in patients presenting for any cause of major EDs in the Houston region. Bundled HIV/Hep C testing of all arrivals to EDs is an effective way to identify individuals that need to be directed to antiviral and linkage to care.
Disclosures
All authors: No reported disclosures.
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