Hepatitis C infection in the health care setting. I. Low risk from parenteral exposure to blood of human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients

Abstract Background In the setting of hepatitis C virus (HCV) active infection, liver stiffness (LS)–based strategies identify patients with low risk of developing esophageal variceal bleeding (VB) episodes, in whom unnecessary upper esophagogastroduodenoscopy (UGE) screening can be safely avoided. However, after sustained virological response (SVR), data on the accuracy of the criteria predicting this outcome in HCV-infected patients with cirrhosis, with or without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection, are very limited. Methods This was a multicenter prospective cohort study, where HCV-monoinfected patients and HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals were included if they had (1) SVR with direct-acting antiviral–based therapy; (2) LS ≥9.5 kPa previous to treatment; and (3) LS measurement at the SVR time-point ≥14 kPa. Diagnostic accuracy of HEPAVIR, expanded Baveno VI, and HIV cirrhosis criteria, at the time of SVR, was evaluated. Missed VB episodes, negative predictive values (NPVs), and number of spared UGEs were specifically assessed. Results Four hundred thirty-five patients were included, 284 (65%) coinfected with HIV. Seven (1.6%) patients developed a first episode of VB after SVR. In patients without a previous VB episode, HEPAVIR, expanded Baveno VI and HIV cirrhosis criteria achieved NPV for first VB episode after SVR of 99.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 97.1%–100%), 100% (95% CI 97.8%–100%), and 100% (95% CI 98%–100%) while sparing 45%, 39%, and 44% of UGEs, respectively. When considering HIV coinfection, the performance of the 3 criteria was similar, both in HCV-monoinfected and HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals. Conclusions After SVR, predictive LS-based strategies accurately identify HCV-infected patients, HIV coinfected or not, with low risk of developing VB during follow-up. In these specific patients, using HIV cirrhosis criteria maximize the number of spared UGEs while missing no VB episode.

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Assessing County-Level Vulnerability for Opioid Overdose and Rapid Spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Infection in South Dakota

The Journal of Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/infdis/jiaa231 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 222 (Supplement_5) ◽

pp. S312-S321

Author(s):

Chelsea A Wesner ◽

Weiwei Zhang ◽

Sandra Melstad ◽

Elizabeth Ruen ◽

Cassandra Deffenbaugh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

South Dakota ◽

Composite Index ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Opioid Overdose ◽

County Level ◽

Hepatitis C Infection ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Chronic Hcv

Abstract Background Key indicators of vulnerability for the syndemic of opioid overdose, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) due to injection drug use (IDU) in rural reservation and frontier counties are unknown. We examined county-level vulnerability for this syndemic in South Dakota. Methods Informed by prior methodology from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we used acute and chronic HCV infections among persons aged ≤40 years as a proxy measure of IDU. Twenty-nine county-level indicators potentially associated with HCV infection rates were identified. Using these indicators, we examined relationships through bivariate and multivariate analysis and calculated a composite index score to identify the most vulnerable counties (top 20%) to this syndemic. Results Of the most vulnerable counties, 69% are reservation counties and 62% are rural. The county-level HCV infection rate is 4 times higher in minority counties than nonminority counties, and almost all significant indicators of opioid-related vulnerability in our analysis are structural and potentially modifiable through public health interventions and policies. Conclusions Our assessment gives context to the magnitude of this syndemic in rural reservation and frontier counties and should inform the strategic allocation of prevention and intervention services.

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