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Pavarin RM, Badia L, Nisi S, Iormetti C, Caputo F. HCV testing and linkage to care for hepatitis C virus infection for marginalized drug user populations attending a harm reduction service in Bologna, Italy. LE INFEZIONI IN MEDICINA 2024; 32:373-380. [PMID: 39282543 PMCID: PMC11392550 DOI: 10.53854/liim-3203-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024]
Abstract
Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of HCV in a highly vulnerable population of substance users living with social difficulties and marginality who came into contact with the mobile harm reduction service in the city of Bologna (Northern Italy). Testing was offered in a van (mobile unit) by using a point-of-care HCV antibody test. For the HCV RNA test, the Xpert HCV Viral Load Fingerstick Test was used. Participants with a detectable HCV RNA were accompanied within two weeks to the Infectious Diseases Department Sant' Orsola Hospital Bologna to start HCV treatment. With regard to the main study findings, 54% reported having never been HCV tested before; a prevalence of HCV RNA of 6% among all participants and 22% among those injecting drugs was found; among the HCV RNA positive participants, 80% were accompanied to treatment. Our study suggests that mobile harm reduction services, in networks with healthcare facilities, are able to offer a continuous HCV screening service and linkage to care for people with drug use living in socially marginalized conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lorenzo Badia
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Azienda USL di Imola, Imola, Italy
| | | | | | - Fabio Caputo
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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Gofton C, Bondezi K, Kotze B, McKee K, Yesudoss A, McCaughan G, George J. Micro-elimination of chronic hepatitis C virus in mental health settings: A prospective multicentre pragmatic trial. Drug Alcohol Rev 2024; 43:1247-1255. [PMID: 38773898 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence is high in the mental health population. We sought to evaluate testing and treatment uptake for HCV following the implementation of a universal nurse led study in inpatient and outpatient mental health populations. METHODS From January 2018 to December 2020, we screened mental health inpatients (n = 322) and community mental health patients (n = 615) for HCV with either specialist hepatology nurses or mental health nurses (mental health nurse). RESULTS 75.5% (464/615) of community patients and 100% (322/322) of inpatients consented to screening, with an HCV antibody-positive prevalence of 12.7% (59/464) in community patients and 19.6% (63/322) in inpatients. RNA detectable prevalence was 4.0% (22/464) and 7.5% (24/322), respectively. Community patients who were screened by specialist hepatology nurses were more likely to consent to screening (94.4% vs. 45.7%, p < 0.001) but had lower proportion of HCV antibody (10.5% vs. 20.3%, p < 0.001) and RNA detectable (4.0% vs. 7.5%, p = 0.018) when compared to mental health nurse screening. Engagement with treatment was 27.0% of community mental health patients and 45.8% of mental health inpatients undergoing treatment. All patients undergoing treatment and underwent sustained viral response (SVR) testing achieved SVR. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Universal screening of HCV using a nurse-led model has high rates of success in mental health patients with high proportions undergoing screening, with no reduction in the rates of SVR achieved with DAA therapy compared to the general population. Further work is needed to bridge the gap between identification of HCV and treatment among mental health patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron Gofton
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kindness Bondezi
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Beth Kotze
- Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kristen McKee
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Antoni Yesudoss
- Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Geoff McCaughan
- AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Local Health District, Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jacob George
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Munari SC, Traeger MW, Menon V, Latham NH, Manoharan L, Luhmann N, Baggaley R, MacDonald V, Verster A, Siegfried N, Conway B, Klein M, Bruneau J, Stoové MA, Hellard ME, Doyle JS. Determining reinfection rates by hepatitis C testing interval among key populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Liver Int 2023; 43:2625-2644. [PMID: 37817387 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Detecting hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfection among key populations helps prevent ongoing transmission. This systematic review aims to determine the association between different testing intervals during post-SVR follow-up on the detection of HCV reinfection among highest risk populations. METHODS We searched electronic databases between January 2014 and February 2023 for studies that tested individuals at risk for HCV reinfection at discrete testing intervals and reported HCV reinfection incidence among key populations. Pooled estimates of reinfection incidence were calculated by population and testing frequency using random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS Forty-one single-armed observational studies (9453 individuals) were included. Thirty-eight studies (8931 individuals) reported HCV reinfection incidence rate and were included in meta-analyses. The overall pooled estimate of HCV reinfection incidence rate was 4.13 per 100 per person-years (py) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.45-4.81). The pooled incidence estimate among people who inject drugs (PWID) was 2.84 per 100 py (95% CI: 2.19-3.50), among men who have sex with men (MSM) 7.37 per 100 py (95% CI: 5.09-9.65) and among people in custodial settings 7.23 per 100 py (95% CI: 2.13-16.59). The pooled incidence estimate for studies reporting a testing interval of ≤6 months (4.26 per 100 py; 95% CI: 2.86-5.65) was higher than studies reporting testing intervals >6 months (5.19 per 100 py; 95% CI: 3.92-6.46). CONCLUSIONS HCV reinfection incidence was highest in studies of MSM and did not appear to change with retesting interval. Shorter testing intervals are likely to identify more reinfections, help prevent onward transmission where treatment is available and enable progress towards global HCV elimination, but additional comparative studies are required.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael W Traeger
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Vinay Menon
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ned H Latham
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Niklas Luhmann
- World Health Organization, Global HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Rachel Baggaley
- World Health Organization, Global HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Virginia MacDonald
- World Health Organization, Global HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Annette Verster
- World Health Organization, Global HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nandi Siegfried
- Independent Clinical Epidemiologist, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Brian Conway
- Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre & Simon Fraser University Vancouver, Canada
| | - Marina Klein
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Julie Bruneau
- Department of Family and Emergency Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Mark A Stoové
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Margaret E Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Pepiot A, Supervie V, Breban R. Impact of voluntary testing on infectious disease epidemiology: A game theoretic approach. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293968. [PMID: 37934734 PMCID: PMC10629633 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization recommends test-and-treat interventions to curb and even eliminate epidemics of HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis). Epidemic models show these goals are achievable, provided the participation of individuals in test-and-treat interventions is sufficiently high. We combine epidemic models and game theoretic models to describe individual's decisions to get tested for infectious diseases within certain epidemiological contexts, and, implicitly, their voluntary participation to test-and-treat interventions. We develop three hybrid models, to discuss interventions against HIV, HCV, and sexually transmitted infections, and the potential behavioral response from the target population. Our findings are similar across diseases. Particularly, individuals use three distinct behavioral patterns relative to testing, based on their perceived costs for testing, besides the payoff for discovering their disease status. Firstly, if the cost of testing is too high, then individuals refrain from voluntary testing and get tested only if they are symptomatic. Secondly, if the cost is moderate, some individuals will test voluntarily, starting treatment if needed. Hence, the spread of the disease declines and the disease epidemiology is mitigated. Thirdly, the most beneficial testing behavior takes place as individuals perceive a per-test payoff that surpasses a certain threshold, every time they get tested. Consequently, individuals achieve high voluntary testing rates, which may result in the elimination of the epidemic, albeit on temporary basis. Trials and studies have attained different levels of participation and testing rates. To increase testing rates, they should provide each eligible individual with a payoff, above a given threshold, each time the individual tests voluntarily.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amandine Pepiot
- Institut Pierre Louis d’Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP), Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Virginie Supervie
- Institut Pierre Louis d’Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP), Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Romulus Breban
- Institut Pasteur, Unité d’Epidémiologie des Maladies Emergentes, Paris, France
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Granozzi B, Guardigni V, Badia L, Rosselli Del Turco E, Zuppiroli A, Tazza B, Malosso P, Pieralli S, Viale P, Verucchi G. Out-of-Hospital Treatment of Hepatitis C Increases Retention in Care among People Who Inject Drugs and Homeless Persons: An Observational Study. J Clin Med 2021; 10:4955. [PMID: 34768474 PMCID: PMC8584608 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10214955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND People who inject drugs (PWID) and homeless people represent now a large reservoir of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, Hepatis C elimination programs can barely reach these subgroups of patients. We aimed to evaluate and compare the retention in care among these difficult-to-treat patients when managed for HCV in hospital or in an out-of-hospital setting. METHODS In our retrospective study, we categorized the included patients (PWID and homeless persons) into two groups according to whether anti-HCV treatment was offered and provided in a hospital or an out-of-hospital setting. We run logistic regressions to evaluate factors associated with retention in care (defined as the completion of direct antiviral agents (DAAs) therapy). RESULTS We included 56 patients in our study: 27 were in the out-of-hospital group. Overall, 33 patients completed DAAs therapy. A higher rate of retention in care was observed in the out-of-hospital group rather than in-hospital group (p = 0.001). At the univariate analysis, retention in care was associated with the out-of-hospital management (p = 0.002) and with a shorter time between the first visit and the scheduled start of DAAs (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS The choice of treatment models that can better adapt to difficult-to-treat populations, such as an out-of-hospital approach, will be important for achieving the eradication of HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Granozzi
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy; (B.G.); (L.B.); (E.R.D.T.); (A.Z.); (B.T.); (P.M.); (P.V.); (G.V.)
| | - Viola Guardigni
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy; (B.G.); (L.B.); (E.R.D.T.); (A.Z.); (B.T.); (P.M.); (P.V.); (G.V.)
| | - Lorenzo Badia
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy; (B.G.); (L.B.); (E.R.D.T.); (A.Z.); (B.T.); (P.M.); (P.V.); (G.V.)
| | - Elena Rosselli Del Turco
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy; (B.G.); (L.B.); (E.R.D.T.); (A.Z.); (B.T.); (P.M.); (P.V.); (G.V.)
| | - Alberto Zuppiroli
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy; (B.G.); (L.B.); (E.R.D.T.); (A.Z.); (B.T.); (P.M.); (P.V.); (G.V.)
| | - Beatrice Tazza
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy; (B.G.); (L.B.); (E.R.D.T.); (A.Z.); (B.T.); (P.M.); (P.V.); (G.V.)
| | - Pietro Malosso
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy; (B.G.); (L.B.); (E.R.D.T.); (A.Z.); (B.T.); (P.M.); (P.V.); (G.V.)
| | | | - Pierluigi Viale
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy; (B.G.); (L.B.); (E.R.D.T.); (A.Z.); (B.T.); (P.M.); (P.V.); (G.V.)
| | - Gabriella Verucchi
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy; (B.G.); (L.B.); (E.R.D.T.); (A.Z.); (B.T.); (P.M.); (P.V.); (G.V.)
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