Risky injection practices and HCV awareness in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand: a respondent-driven sampling study of people who inject drugs

The signal-to-cutoff ratios to predict HCV infection among people who inject drugs

People who inject drugs (PWIDs) are primarily the high-risk population for HCV infection. This study aims to determine the optimal cut-off values for predicting HCV infection status based on the Signal-to-Cutoff (S/CO) ratio. In this study, a total of 719 PWIDs’ samples were collected, and performed for screening test by ELISA assay, and followed by RIBA assay and NAT assay to detect HCV antibody and HCV RNA levels, respectively. The findings revealed that the prevalence of HCV infection among PWIDs was 54.66% (393/719), and the false-positive rate of HCV antibody detection by ELISA assay among PWIDs was only 3.85% (16/416). In addition, when the optimal cut-off value for S/CO ratio was 2.0, the sensitivity and specificity of HCV antibody were 100.00% and 93.55%, respectively. And when the optimal cut-off value for S/CO ratio was 21.36, the sensitivity and specificity of HCV RNA positive were 89.90% and 72.73%, respectively. In conclusion, the status of HCV infection can be predicted based on the S/CO ratios of the ELISA assay, which can improve diagnosis and facilitate timely treatment to effectively prevent the spread of HCV infection.

A surveillance for hepatitis C virus infection in northeastern, Thailand: a 10-year cohort

INTRODUCTION

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an infection that may lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Most patients with HCV infection are asymptomatic. The previous study conducted in age group of 30-64 years and in two provinces. Additionally, most surveillance studies conducted in a point period; not longitudinally. This study aimed to evaluate HCV infection rate in all age groups in the northeastern, Thailand in a longitudinal fashion.

METHODS

This was a surveillance study conducted in 20 provinces of northeastern, Thailand. The study period was between July 2010 and November 2019. During the surveillance, demographic data of participants were collected. HCV screening test was performed in each participant by using a rapid point-of-care assay. Rates of HCV infection in each province and in overall were calculated.

RESULTS

During the surveillance period, there were 31,855 subjects who participated the project. Of those, 1,285 subjects (4.037%) were tested positive for HCV infection (Tab. I). The HCV infection rate was highest in 2011 (8.98%): ranges 1.28 to 9.59%. The age group of over 50 years had 690 subjects with HCV infection (5.45%) out of 12,660 subjected tested in this age group. There was significant different among age groups (p < 0.001) and difference of age over 30 years and sex (p 0.043).

CONCLUSIONS

This longitudinal surveillance showed that HCV infection rates in northeastern, Thailand were varied across the provinces with the highest rate of 9.59%. The HCV infection should be aware in male with age over 30 years.

Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C Virus Infections: Influence of National Health Care Policies and Local Clinical Practices

BACKGROUND Because reliable epidemiological data are necessary to eliminate hepatitis B and C virus (HBV and HCV) infections, factors influencing their prevalence should be determined. This study aimed to disclose practical issues that affect the prevalence of these viral infections. MATERIAL AND METHODS All medical records with laboratory findings during 2016 to 2018 were reviewed, and all relevant data were extracted. All HBV and HCV infections were followed within these 3 years and investigated in detail. RESULTS The total number of records was 103 197, with a male to female ratio of 1: 1.4. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was tested in 12 934 cases, with a male to female ratio of 1: 2.6. Anti-HCV antibody (anti-HCV Ab) testing was done in 475 cases (53% male). The seroprevalence of HBV and HCV was 5.2% and 4.4%, respectively. Chronic HBV and HCV infections and their life-threatening complication, liver cancer, were highly detected in men aged 41-60 years. CONCLUSIONS HBsAg was highly screened in women owing to the nationwide implementation of the universal HBsAg screening in pregnant women to prevent vertical transmission. Screening for anti-HCV Ab was neglected, probably due to lack of vaccine and high costs of anti-HCV drugs, which most people in low- to middle-income countries generally cannot afford. Local practices under national health care policies and limited budget and resources can cause underestimation of the prevalence of the HBV and HCV infections and persistent transmission of these viruses owing to unidentified cases.