scholarly journals Universal HIV and Birth Cohort HCV Screening in San Diego Emergency Departments

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Hoenigl ◽  
Kushagra Mathur ◽  
Jill Blumenthal ◽  
Jesse Brennan ◽  
Miriam Zuazo ◽  
...  

Abstract Universal HIV and HCV screening in emergency departments (ED) can reach populations who are less likely to get tested otherwise. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate universal opt-out HIV and HCV screening in two EDs in San Diego. HIV screening for persons aged 13–64 years (excluding persons known to be HIV+ or reporting HIV testing within last 12 months) was implemented using a 4th generation HIV antigen/antibody assay; HCV screening was offered to persons born between 1945 and 1965. Over a period of 16 months, 12,575 individuals were tested for HIV, resulting in 33 (0.26%) new HIV diagnoses, of whom 30 (90%) were successfully linked to care. Universal screening also identified 74 out-of-care for >12-months HIV+ individuals of whom 50 (68%) were successfully relinked to care. Over a one-month period, HCV antibody tests were conducted in 905 individuals with a seropositivity rate of 9.9% (90/905); 61 seropositives who were newly identified or never treated for HCV had HCV RNA testing, of which 31 (51%) resulted positive (3.4% of all participants, including 18 newly identified RNA positives representing 2% of all participants), and 13/31 individuals (42%) were linked to care. The rate of newly diagnosed HCV infections exceeded the rate of newly diagnosed HIV infections by >7-fold, underlining the importance of HCV screening in EDs.

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S388-S388
Author(s):  
Martin Hoenigl ◽  
Chris Coyne ◽  
Jill Blumenthal ◽  
Gary Vilke ◽  
Susan Little

Abstract Background While HIV and HCV testing targeted to high-risk groups results in substantially higher proportions of HIV diagnoses, universal HIV and HCV screening in emergency department (ED) settings is expected to reach populations who do not perceive themselves to be at risk or are otherwise less likely to participate in HIV and HCV testing. As a consequence the CDC recommends routine HIV screening for persons 13–64 years of age, and routine HCV screening for the birth cohort (born between 1945–1965). The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the yield of universal opt-out HIV and HCV screening in the two EDs at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). Methods In July 2017, electronic medical record (EMR) based universal opt-out HIV screening (Architect HIV antibody [Ab]/HIV p24 antigen detection) for persons aged 13–64 years (excluding persons known HIV+ or reporteing an HIV test within the last 12 months) was implemented in our EDs. The EMR algorithm also identified HIV+ individuals who had been out of care for >12 months. In March 2018, EMR based universal HCV screening for birth cohort was added in both EDs. Results Over a period of 9 months 7,303 HIV tests were conducted, resulting in 24 (0.3%) new HIV diagnoses, of which 21 were successfully linked to care. In five individuals without HIV infection Architect gave a false-positive result (specificity 99.93%). In addition, the EMR algorithm identified 38 out of care HIV+ individuals of which 21 were successfully relinked to care. During the 1-month HCV birth cohort screening 963 HCV Ab tests were conducted, of which 106 (11%) resulted positive. At the time being 78 of those seropositive individuals had HCV RNA testing, of which 36 (53%) resulted positive (3.7% of all participants). Conclusion In San Diego, a setting with a high density of free-of charge HIV screening programs, 1/300 HIV tests in the ED yielded a new HIV diagnosis and in total 21 newly diagnosed individuals were linked to care. Identification of HIV+ out of care individuals yielded in an equivalent number of individuals relinked to care. The rate of newly diagnosed HCV infections exceeded the rate of newly diagnosed HIV infections by >10-fold outlining the importance of screening for HCV in the ED. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2509
Author(s):  
Pei-Yuan Su ◽  
Yang-Yuan Chen ◽  
Hsu-Heng Yen ◽  
Siou-Ping Huang ◽  
I-Ling Liu ◽  
...  

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can induce insulin resistance, and patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have a higher prevalence of HCV infection. Patient outcomes improve after HCV eradication in DM patients. However, HCV micro-elimination targeting this population has not been approached. Little is known about using electronic alert systems for HCV screening among patients with DM in a hospital-based setting. We implemented an electronic reminder system for HCV antibody screening and RNA testing in outpatient departments among patients with DM. The screening rates and treatment rates at different departments before and after system implementation were compared. The results indicated that the total HCV screening rate increased from 49.3% (9505/19,272) to 78.2% (15,073/19,272), and the HCV-RNA testing rate increased from 73.4% to 94.2%. The anti-HCV antibody seropositive rate was 5.7%, and the HCV viremia rate was 62.7% in our patient population. The rate of positive anti-HCV antibodies and HCV viremia increased with patient age. This study demonstrates the feasibility and usefulness of an electronic alert system for HCV screening and treatment among DM patients in a hospital-based setting.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S31-S32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cody A Chastain ◽  
Jakea Johnson ◽  
Karen Miller ◽  
Katie Moore ◽  
Amanda Lako ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Despite hepatitis C virus (HCV) age cohort and risk factor screening recommendations, many at-risk individuals remain undiagnosed. Current screening practices may not adequately capture those at high risk for infection, especially in regions with increasing injection drug use (IDU). Universal HCV screening in a Tennessee tertiary care emergency department (ED) was introduced to help define regional epidemiology and to improve diagnosis and linkage to care. Methods This screening program was implemented in the Vanderbilt University Medical Center ED. Adult patients who underwent phlebotomy for clinical purposes were offered HCV screening. Samples were initially tested for HCV antibodies; if positive, samples were reflexed for HCV RNA testing. Patients with positive HCV RNA tests (i.e., active HCV infection) were notified, counseled, and offered linkage to care. Results A total of 11,637 screening tests were performed between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018, with 1,008 (8.7%) HCV antibody positive and 488 (4.2%) RNA positive. Of note, 81 (0.7%) were HCV antibody positive but RNA testing could not be performed due to insufficient sample volume. Several notable populations had high rates of HCV (Table 1). Importantly, 3.9% of people not born between 1945 and 1965 were HCV RNA positive, and they were the majority (63.5%) of patients with active HCV (Table 2). A minority (31.6%) of those with active HCV had a known history of IDU (Table 2). Conclusion HCV is common among patients presenting for emergency care at a Tennessee tertiary care ED. Universal screening identified many infections that would have been missed using age cohort and risk factors alone. ED HCV screening may be a useful method to augment guideline-based testing and intervene among populations not consistently screened. Disclosures C. A. Chastain, Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Grant Investigator and Research Contractor, Grant recipient and Research support. J. Johnson, Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Grant Investigator, Grant recipient. K. Miller, Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Grant Investigator, Grant recipient. J. H. Han, Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Grant Investigator, Grant recipient. W. H. Self, Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Grant Investigator, Grant recipient.


2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (6) ◽  
pp. 626-633
Author(s):  
Caroline M. Abe ◽  
Merilyne Aguwa ◽  
Michelle Zhao ◽  
Jacqueline Sullivan ◽  
Esmaeil Porsa ◽  
...  

Objectives: Screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in jail provides an opportunity to educate and offer care to a high-risk population. We aimed to (1) estimate the prevalence of HCV infection in jail; (2) describe the demographic characteristics, risk factors, and pre-incarceration health insurance status associated with HCV infection; and (3) examine the implementation of HCV screening in jail. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of an opt-out HCV screening program with HCV RNA confirmation and patient education at the Dallas County Jail from April 1 through November 2, 2017. We extracted data on test results, demographic characteristics, and release destination from electronic medical records. A nurse navigator recorded data on patient self-reported risk factors and pre-incarceration health insurance status. Results: Of 4089 incarcerated persons screened, 708 (17.3%) had a positive HCV antibody result. Of these, 641 (90.5%) had an HCV RNA test ordered; 576 (89.9%) had RNA tests completed, of whom 413 (71.7%) had a positive HCV RNA result. Of these 413, 352 (85.2%) received patient education. Half of HCV RNA-positive incarcerated persons (n = 207, 50.1%) were born outside the birth cohort (1945-1965). Among those with HCV infection, commonly reported risk factors were injection drug use (168 of 352; 47.8%) and tattoos (82 of 352; 23.4%). Most incarcerated persons with HCV infection (284 of 350; 81.1%) did not have health insurance. HCV antibody prevalence was higher among incarcerated persons released to prison (232 of 961; 24.1%) than to outside agencies (38 of 403; 9.4%) or the community (178 of 1026; 17.4%). Conclusions: Screening for HCV with RNA confirmation in jail provides an opportunity for disease education, transmission prevention, and navigation to HCV treatment. Future efforts should examine post-incarceration linkage to care.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-189
Author(s):  
Jacob Williams ◽  
Marilyn Barclay ◽  
Chester Omana ◽  
Sara Buten ◽  
Jeffrey J Post

Objective: Patients with a severe mental illness have higher rates of infection with blood-borne viruses (BBVs) but are less likely to access testing and treatment. Enhanced testing of this population is therefore warranted. Methods: In this single centre, prospective study, we sought to offer testing for BBVs to all patients who attended an appointment in the clozapine clinic (CC) over a six-month period. Those who consented were tested for HIV antigen/antibody, hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody and hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg). Results: During the study period, 192 patients attended an appointment, of which 164 were offered testing. Of those, 134 (81.7%) accepted and 30 declined. Among patients who agreed to be tested, results were returned for 96 (71.6%). There were no positive results for HBsAg or HIV. Seven patients (7.2%) were positive for HCV antibody. Of those, three were newly identified exposures of which two were found to be chronically infected and were referred for treatment. Conclusion: A routine offer of BBV testing for people with severe mental illness in the outpatient setting is feasible and may detect treatable infections.


2007 ◽  
Vol 79 (S1) ◽  
pp. S16-S22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Cunningham ◽  
Jean Downie ◽  
Peter O'Loughlin ◽  
Sara Evans ◽  
Jenette Black

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. e36-e40
Author(s):  
Liana Hwang ◽  
Jesse Raffa ◽  
Michael John Gill

INTRODUCTION: Women account for a growing proportion of HIV infections in Canada. This has implications with respect to prevention, diagnosis and treatment.OBJECTIVE: To describe the female population presenting for HIV care in southern Alberta and to examine the impact of opt-out pregnancy screening.METHODS: A retrospective review of demographic and clinical characteristics of all patients presenting to the Southern Alberta HIV Clinic (SAC) care program from 1982 to 2006, was performed.RESULTS: The proportion of newly diagnosed patients who were female increased from 7.5% before 1998 to 21.5% after 1998. Women were more likely to be from vulnerable populations, such as intravenous drug users (31.3% versus 13.7%, P<0.001), aboriginals/Métis (21.5% versus 8.7%, P<0.001), blacks (28.9% versus 4.9%, P<0.001) and immigrants (36.6% versus 14.7%, P<0.001). Heterosexual intercourse was the main risk factor for HIV acquisition (43.7%). Women were less likely than men to have requested HIV testing (20.9% versus 37.8%, P<0.001). Opt-out pregnancy screening accounted for 12.7% of HIV-positive tests in women, following its introduction in 1998. Of the women diagnosed by pregnancy screening, 62.1% were from HIV-endemic countries. There was an association between reason for testing and CD4 count at presentation; women who requested their HIV test had higher median CD4 counts than those diagnosed because of illness (478 cells/mL, interquartile range [IQR]=370 cells/mL versus 174 cells/mL, IQR=328 cells/mL, P<0.001) or pregnancy screening (478 cells/mL, IQR=370 cells/mL versus 271 cells/mL, IQR=256 cells/mL, P=0.001).CONCLUSIONS: Women were less likely than men to have requested HIV testing and were more likely to be diagnosed by population-based screening methods. Women, especially vulnerable groups, account for a growing number and proportion of newly diagnosed HIV infections in Alberta. The implications of expanded screening in this population merit further consideration.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana Castrejón ◽  
Kara W. Chew ◽  
Marjan Javanbakht ◽  
Romney Humphries ◽  
Sammy Saab ◽  
...  

Abstract Background We implemented and evaluated a large health system-wide hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening and linkage to care program for persons born between 1945 and 1965 (“baby boomers”). Methods An electronic health record (EHR) clinical decision support (CDS) tool for HCV screening for baby boomers was introduced in August 2015 for patients seen in the outpatient University of California, Los Angeles healthcare system setting. An HCV care coordinator was introduced in January 2016 to facilitate linkage to HCV care. We compared HCV testing in the year prior (August 2014–July 2015) to the year after (August 2015–July 2016) implementation of the CDS tool. Among patients with reactive HCV antibody testing, we compared outcomes related to the care cascade including HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) testing, HCV RNA positivity, and linkage to HCV specialty care. Results During the study period, 19606 participants were screened for HCV antibody. Hepatitis C virus antibody screening increased 145% (from 5676 patients tested to 13930 tested) after introduction of the CDS intervention. Screening increased across all demographic groups including age, sex, and race/ethnicity, with the greatest increases among those in the older age groups. The addition of an HCV care coordinator increased follow-up HCV RNA testing for HCV antibody positive patients from 83% to 95%. Ninety-four percent of HCV RNA positive patients were linked to care postimplementation. Conclusions Introduction of an EHR CDS tool and care coordination markedly increased the number of baby boomers screened for HCV, rates of follow-up HCV RNA testing, and linkage to specialty HCV care for patients with chronic HCV infection.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Bil ◽  
P A G Schrooders ◽  
M Prins ◽  
P M Kouw ◽  
J H E Klomp ◽  
...  

Abstract We evaluated uptake and diagnostic outcomes of voluntary hepatitis B (HBV) and C virus (HCV) screening offered during routine tuberculosis entry screening to migrants in Gelderland and Amsterdam, the Netherlands, between 2013 and 2015. In Amsterdam, HIV screening was also offered. Overall, 54% (461/859) accepted screening. Prevalence of chronic HBV infection (HBsAg-positive) and HCV exposure (anti-HCVpositive) in Gelderland was 4.48% (9/201; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.37-8.29) and 0.99% (2/203; 95% CI: 0.27-3.52), respectively, all infections were newly diagnosed. Prevalence of chronic HBV infection, HCV exposure and chronic HCV infection (HCV RNA-positive) in Amsterdam was 0.39% (1/256; 95% CI: 0.07-2.18), 1.17% (3/256; 95% CI: 0.40-3.39) and 0.39% (1/256; 95% CI: 0.07-2.18), respectively, with all chronic HBV/HCV infections previously diagnosed. No HIV infections were found. In univariate analyses, newly diagnosed chronic HBV infection was more likely in participants migrating for reasons other than work or study (4.35% vs 0.83%; odds ratio (OR) = 5.45; 95% CI: 1.12-26.60) and was less likely in participants in Amsterdam than Gelderland (0.00% vs 4.48%; OR = 0.04; 95% CI: 0.00-0.69). Regional differences in HBV prevalence might be explained by differences in the populations entering compulsory tuberculosis screening. Prescreening selection of migrants based on risk factors merits further exploration.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. e000577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Smita Bakhai ◽  
Naren Nallapeta ◽  
Mohammad El-Atoum ◽  
Tenzin Arya ◽  
Jessica L Reynolds

Individuals born between 1945–1965 represent 81% of all persons chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the USA and are largely unaware of their positive status. The baseline HCV screening rate in this population in an academic internal medicine clinic at a US hospital was less than 3.0%. The goal was to increase the rate of HCV screening in patients born between 1945 and 1965 to 20% within 24 months. The quality improvement team used the Plan Do Study Act Model. Outcome measures included HCV antibody screening, HCV RNA positive rate and linkage to hepatology care. Process measures included HCV antibody order and completion rates. The quality improvement team performed a root cause analysis and identified barriers for HCV screening and linkage to care. The key elements of interventions included redesigning nursing workflow, use of health information technology and educating patients, physicians and nursing staff about HCV. The HCV screening rate was 30.3% (391/1291) within 24 months. The HCV antibody positive rate was 43.5% (170/391), and HCV RNA positive rate was 95.3% (162/170). HCV infection was diagnosed in 12.5% (162/1291) of patients or 41.4% (162/391) of the screened population. Of those positive, 70% (114/162) were linked to hepatology care within the 24-month project timeframe. Eighty percent of patients seen by a hepatologist were treated with direct-acting antivirals agents. The HCV screening rate was sustained at 25.4% during the post-project 1-year period. Engagement of a multidisciplinary team and education to patients, physicians and nursing staff were the key drivers for success.


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