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Harney BL, Sacks-Davis R, van Santen DK, Traeger MW, Wilkinson AL, Asselin J, Fairley CK, Roth N, Bloch M, Matthews GV, Donovan B, Guy R, Stoové M, Hellard ME, Doyle JS. Hepatitis C virus reinfection incidence among gay and bisexual men with HIV in Australia from 2016 to 2020. Liver Int 2024; 44:1024-1031. [PMID: 38291946 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is some concern that hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfection might impact HCV micro-elimination efforts among gay and bisexual men (GBM) with HIV. However, there is a limited understanding of reinfection incidence in the context of unrestricted government-funded HCV treatment. We aimed to estimate HCV reinfection incidence among GBM with HIV in Australia from 2016 to 2020. METHODS Data were from 39 clinics participating in ACCESS, a sentinel surveillance network for blood borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections across Australia. GBM with HIV who had evidence of treatment or spontaneous clearance with at least one positive HCV RNA test, a subsequent negative HCV RNA test, and at least one additional HCV RNA test between 1st January 2016 and 31st December 2020 were eligible for inclusion. A new HCV RNA positive test and/or detectable viral load was defined as a reinfection. Generalised linear modelling was used to examine trends in reinfection. RESULTS Among 12 213 GBM with HIV who had at least one HCV test, 540 were included in the reinfection incidence analysis, of whom 38 (7%) had evidence of reinfection during the observation period. Over 1124 person-years of follow-up, the overall rate of reinfection was 3.4/100PY (95% CI 2.5-4.6). HCV reinfection incidence declined on average 30% per calendar year (Incidence Rate Ratio 0.70, 95% CI 0.54-0.91). CONCLUSION HCV reinfection incidence has declined among GBM with HIV in Australia since government-funded unrestricted DAAs were made available. Ongoing HCV RNA testing following cure and prompt treatment for anyone newly diagnosed is warranted to sustain this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan L Harney
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Disease, Alfred Health & Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rachel Sacks-Davis
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniela K van Santen
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michael W Traeger
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anna L Wilkinson
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jason Asselin
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher K Fairley
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Norman Roth
- Prahran Market Clinic, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark Bloch
- Holdsworth House Medical Practice, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Gail V Matthews
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Basil Donovan
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rebecca Guy
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mark Stoové
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Margaret E Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Disease, Alfred Health & Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Doherty Institute and School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Disease, Alfred Health & Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Harney BL, Sacks-Davis R, Agius P, van Santen DK, Traeger MW, Wilkinson AL, Asselin J, Fairley CK, Roth N, Bloch M, Matthews GV, Donovan B, Guy R, Stoové M, Hellard ME, Doyle JS. Risk of Primary Incident Hepatitis C Infection Following Bacterial Sexually Transmissible Infections Among Gay and Bisexual Men in Australia From 2016 to 2020. Open Forum Infect Dis 2024; 11:ofae099. [PMID: 38560602 PMCID: PMC10977630 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background In Australia, the incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has declined among gay and bisexual men (GBM) with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) since 2015 and is low among GBM using HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP). However, ongoing HCV testing and treatment remains necessary to sustain this. To assess the potential utility of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) to inform HCV testing among GBM with HIV and GBM using PrEP, we examined the association between bacterial STI diagnoses and subsequent primary HCV infection. Methods Data were from a national network of 46 clinics participating in the Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance. GBM included had ≥1 HCV antibody negative test result and ≥1 subsequent HCV antibody and/or RNA test. Discrete time survival analysis was used to estimate the association between a positive syphilis, rectal chlamydia, and rectal gonorrhea diagnosis in the previous 2 years and a primary HCV diagnosis, defined as a positive HCV antibody or RNA test result. Results Among 6529 GBM with HIV, 92 (1.4%) had an incident HCV infection. A prior positive syphilis diagnosis was associated with an incident HCV diagnosis (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.99 [95% confidence interval, 1.11-3.58]). Among 13 061 GBM prescribed PrEP, 48 (0.4%) had an incident HCV diagnosis. Prior rectal chlamydia (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.75 [95% confidence interval, 1.42-5.32]) and rectal gonorrhea (2.54 [1.28-5.05]) diagnoses were associated with incident HCV. Conclusions Diagnoses of bacterial STIs in the past 2 years was associated with HCV incidence. These findings suggest that STIs might be useful for informing HCV testing decisions and guidelines for GBM with HIV and GBM using PrEP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan L Harney
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Disease, Alfred Health & Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria Australia
| | - Rachel Sacks-Davis
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul Agius
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniela K van Santen
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michael W Traeger
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anna L Wilkinson
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jason Asselin
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher K Fairley
- Alfred Health, Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Norman Roth
- Prahran Market Clinic, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark Bloch
- Holdsworth House Medical Practice, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Gail V Matthews
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Basil Donovan
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rebecca Guy
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mark Stoové
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Margaret E Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Disease, Alfred Health & Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria Australia
- Doherty Institute and School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Disease, Alfred Health & Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria Australia
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3
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Hayes MJ, Beavon E, Traeger MW, Dillon JF, Radley A, Nielsen S, Byrne CJ, Richmond J, Higgs P, Hellard ME, Doyle JS. Viral hepatitis testing and treatment in community pharmacies: a systematic review and meta-analysis. EClinicalMedicine 2024; 69:102489. [PMID: 38440399 PMCID: PMC10909633 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The World Health Organization seeks to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. This review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of programs for hepatitis B and C testing and treatment in community pharmacies. Methods Medline, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Global Health were searched from database inception until 12 November 2023. Comparative and single arm intervention studies were eligible for inclusion if they assessed delivery of any of the following interventions for hepatitis B or C in pharmacies: (1) pre-testing risk assessment, (2) testing, (3) pre-treatment assessment or (4) treatment. Primary outcomes were proportions testing positive and reaching each stage in the cascade. Random effects meta-analysis was used to estimate pooled proportions stratified by recruitment strategy and setting where possible; other results were synthesised narratively. This study was pre-registered (PROSPERO: CRD42022324218). Findings Twenty-seven studies (4 comparative, 23 single arm) were included, of which 26 reported hepatitis C outcomes and four reported hepatitis B outcomes. History of injecting drug use was the most identified risk factor from pre-testing risk assessments. The pooled proportion hepatitis C antibody positive from of 19 studies testing 5096 participants was 16.6% (95% CI 11.0%-23.0%; heterogeneity I2 = 96.6%). The pooled proportion antibody positive was significantly higher when testing targeted people with specified risk factors (32.5%, 95% CI 24.8%-40.6%; heterogeneity I2 = 82.4%) compared with non-targeted or other recruitment methods 4.0% (95% CI 2.1%-6.5%; heterogeneity I2 = 83.5%). Meta-analysis of 14 studies with 813 participants eligible for pre-treatment assessment showed pooled attendance rates were significantly higher in pharmacies (92.7%, 95% CI 79.1%-99.9%; heterogeneity I2 = 72.4%) compared with referral to non-pharmacy settings (53.5%, 95% CI 36.5%-70.1%; heterogeneity I2 = 92.3%). The pooled proportion initiating treatment was 85.6% (95% CI 74.8%-94.3%; heterogeneity I2 = 75.1%). This did not differ significantly between pharmacy and non-pharmacy settings. Interpretation These findings add pharmacies to the growing evidence supporting community-based testing and treatment for hepatitis C. Few comparative studies and high degrees of statistical heterogeneity were important limitations. Hepatitis B care in pharmacies presents an opportunity for future research. Funding None.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michael W. Traeger
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - John F. Dillon
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Dundee School of Medicine, Dundee, UK
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK
| | - Andrew Radley
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Dundee School of Medicine, Dundee, UK
- NHS Tayside, Dundee, UK
| | - Suzanne Nielsen
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Christopher J. Byrne
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Dundee School of Medicine, Dundee, UK
- NHS Tayside, Dundee, UK
| | | | - Peter Higgs
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Margaret E. Hellard
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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4
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MacIsaac MB, Whitton B, Anderson J, Cogger S, Vella-Horne D, Penn M, Weeks A, Elmore K, Pemberton D, Winter RJ, Papaluca T, Howell J, Hellard M, Stoové M, Wilson D, Pedrana A, Doyle JS, Clark N, Holmes JA, Thompson AJ. Point-of-care HCV RNA testing improves hepatitis C testing rates and allows rapid treatment initiation among people who inject drugs attending a medically supervised injecting facility. Int J Drug Policy 2024; 125:104317. [PMID: 38281385 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To achieve hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination targets, simplified care engaging people who inject drugs is required. We evaluated whether fingerstick HCV RNA point-of-care testing (PoCT) increased the proportion of clients attending a supervised injecting facility who were tested for hepatitis C. METHODS Prospective single-arm study with recruitment between 9 November 2020 and 28 January 2021 and follow-up to 31 July 2021. Clients attending the supervised injecting facility were offered HCV RNA testing using the Xpert® HCV Viral Load Fingerstick (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA) PoCT. Participants with a positive HCV RNA test were prescribed direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapy. The primary endpoint was the proportion of clients who engaged in HCV RNA PoCT, compared to a historical comparator group when venepuncture-based hepatitis C testing was standard of care. RESULTS Among 1618 clients who attended the supervised injecting facility during the study period, 228 (14%) engaged in PoCT. This was significantly higher than that observed in the historical comparator group (61/1,775, 3%; p < 0.001). Sixty-five (28%) participants were HCV RNA positive, with 40/65 (62%) receiving their result on the same day as testing. Sixty-one (94%) HCV RNA positive participants were commenced on DAA therapy; 14/61 (23%) started treatment on the same day as diagnosis. There was no difference in the proportion of HCV RNA positive participants commenced on treatment with DAA therapy when compared to the historical comparator group (61/65, 94% vs 22/26, 85%; p = 0.153). However, the median time to treatment initiation was significantly shorter in the PoCT cohort (2 days (IQR 1-20) vs 41 days (IQR 22-76), p < 0.001). Among participants who commenced treatment and had complete follow-up data available, 27/36 (75%) achieved hepatitis C cure. CONCLUSIONS HCV RNA PoCT led to a significantly higher proportion of clients attending a supervised injecting facility engaging in hepatitis C testing, whilst also reducing the time to treatment initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael B MacIsaac
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bradley Whitton
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jenine Anderson
- Medically Supervised Injecting Room, North Richmond Community Health, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shelley Cogger
- Medically Supervised Injecting Room, North Richmond Community Health, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dylan Vella-Horne
- Medically Supervised Injecting Room, North Richmond Community Health, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew Penn
- Medically Supervised Injecting Room, North Richmond Community Health, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anthony Weeks
- Medically Supervised Injecting Room, North Richmond Community Health, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kasey Elmore
- Medically Supervised Injecting Room, North Richmond Community Health, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
| | - David Pemberton
- Medically Supervised Injecting Room, North Richmond Community Health, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rebecca J Winter
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia; Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Timothy Papaluca
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jessica Howell
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark Stoové
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David Wilson
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alisa Pedrana
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nicolas Clark
- Medically Supervised Injecting Room, North Richmond Community Health, Richmond, Victoria, Australia; Department of Addiction Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jacinta A Holmes
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alexander J Thompson
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Hearps AC, Vootukuru N, Ebrahimnezhaddarzi S, Harney BL, Boo I, Nguyen L, Pavlyshyn D, Dietze PM, Drummer HE, Thompson AJ, Jaworowski A, Hellard ME, Sacks-Davis R, Doyle JS. Injecting drug use and hepatitis C virus infection independently increase biomarkers of inflammatory disease risk which are incompletely restored by curative direct-acting antiviral therapy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1352440. [PMID: 38420130 PMCID: PMC10899672 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1352440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are more prevalent in people who inject drugs (PWID) who often experience additional health risks. HCV induces inflammation and immune alterations that contribute to hepatic and non-hepatic morbidities. It remains unclear whether curative direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapy completely reverses immune alterations in PWID. Methods Plasma biomarkers of immune activation associated with chronic disease risk were measured in HCV-seronegative (n=24) and HCV RNA+ (n=32) PWID at baseline and longitudinally after DAA therapy. Adjusted generalised estimating equations were used to assess longitudinal changes in biomarker levels. Comparisons between community controls (n=29) and HCV-seronegative PWID were made using adjusted multiple regression modelling. Results HCV-seronegative PWID exhibited significantly increased levels of inflammatory biomarkers including soluble (s) TNF-RII, IL-6, sCD14 and sCD163 and the diabetes index HbA1c as compared to community controls. CXCL10, sTNF-RII, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) were additionally elevated in PWID with viremic HCV infection as compared to HCV- PWID. Whilst curative DAA therapy reversed some biomarkers, others including LBP and sTNF-RII remained elevated 48 weeks after HCV cure. Conclusion Elevated levels of inflammatory and chronic disease biomarkers in PWID suggest an increased risk of chronic morbidities such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. HCV infection in PWID poses an additional disease burden, amplified by the incomplete reversal of immune dysfunction following DAA therapy. These findings highlight the need for heightened clinical surveillance of PWID for chronic inflammatory diseases, particularly those with a history of HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C. Hearps
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Nikil Vootukuru
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Eastern Health and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Brendan L. Harney
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Irene Boo
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Long Nguyen
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Damian Pavlyshyn
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Paul M. Dietze
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Heidi E. Drummer
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Alexander J. Thompson
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Anthony Jaworowski
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Margaret E. Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Rachel Sacks-Davis
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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6
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Sacks-Davis R, van Santen DK, Boyd A, Young J, Stewart A, Doyle JS, Rauch A, Mugglin C, Klein M, van der Valk M, Smit C, Jarrin I, Berenguer J, Lacombe K, Requena MB, Wittkop L, Leleux O, Bonnet F, Salmon D, Matthews GV, Guy R, Martin NK, Spelman T, Prins M, Stoove M, Hellard M. Changes in incidence of hepatitis C virus reinfection and access to direct-acting antiviral therapies in people with HIV from six countries, 2010-19: an analysis of data from a consortium of prospective cohort studies. Lancet HIV 2024; 11:e106-e116. [PMID: 38224708 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-3018(23)00267-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reinfection after successful treatment with direct-acting antivirals is hypothesised to undermine efforts to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among people with HIV. We aimed to assess changes in incidence of HCV reinfection among people with HIV following the introduction of direct-acting antivirals, and the proportion of all incident cases attributable to reinfection. METHODS We pooled individual-level data on HCV reinfection in people with HIV after spontaneous or treatment-induced clearance of HCV from six cohorts contributing data to the International Collaboration on Hepatitis C Elimination in HIV Cohorts (InCHEHC) in Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland between Jan 1, 2010, and Dec 31, 2019. Participants were eligible if they had evidence of an HCV infection (HCV antibody or RNA positive test) followed by spontaneous clearance or treatment-induced clearance, with at least one HCV RNA test after clearance enabling measurement of reinfection. We assessed differences in first reinfection incidence between direct-acting antiviral access periods (pre-direct-acting antiviral, limited access [access restricted to people with moderate or severe liver disease and other priority groups], and broad access [access for all patients with chronic HCV]) using Poisson regression. We estimated changes in combined HCV incidence (primary and reinfection) and the relative contribution of infection type by calendar year. FINDINGS Overall, 6144 people with HIV who were at risk of HCV reinfection (median age 49 years [IQR 42-54]; 4989 [81%] male; 2836 [46%] men who have sex with men; 2360 [38%] people who inject drugs) were followed up for 17 303 person-years and were included in this analysis. The incidence of first HCV reinfection was stable during the period before the introduction of direct-acting antivirals (pre-introduction period; 4·1 cases per 100 person-years, 95% CI 2·8-6·0). Compared with the pre-introduction period, the average incidence of reinfection was 4% lower during the period of limited access (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0·96, 95% CI 0·78-1·19), and 28% lower during the period of broad access (0·72, 0·60-0·86). Between 2015 and 2019, the proportion of incident HCV infections due to reinfection increased, but combined incidence declined by 34%, from 1·02 cases per 100 person-years (95% CI 0·96-1·07) in 2015 to 0·67 cases per 100 person-years (95% CI 0·59-0·75) in 2019. INTERPRETATION HCV reinfection incidence and combined incidence declined in people with HIV following direct-acting antiviral introduction, suggesting reinfection has not affected elimination efforts among people with HIV in InCHEHC countries. The proportion of incident HCV cases due to reinfection was highest during periods of broad access to direct-acting antivirals, highlighting the importance of reducing ongoing risks and continuing testing in people at risk. FUNDING Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Sacks-Davis
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Daniela K van Santen
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Anders Boyd
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Stichting HIV Monitoring, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jim Young
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ashleigh Stewart
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Andri Rauch
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Catrina Mugglin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marina Klein
- Division of Infectious Diseases, McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marc van der Valk
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Stichting HIV Monitoring, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Colette Smit
- Stichting HIV Monitoring, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Inmaculada Jarrin
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Berenguer
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain; Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Karine Lacombe
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, IPLESP, Paris, France; St Antoine Hospital, APHP, Paris, France
| | | | - Linda Wittkop
- Institut Bergonié, Université de Bordeaux, INSERM, Bordeaux, France; Service d'information médicale, Institut Bergonié, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bordeaux, INSERM, Bordeaux, France; Inria équipe SISTM, Talence, France
| | - Olivier Leleux
- Institut Bergonié, Université de Bordeaux, INSERM, Bordeaux, France
| | - Fabrice Bonnet
- Institut Bergonié, Université de Bordeaux, INSERM, Bordeaux, France; Service de Médecine Interne et Maladies Infectieuses, Hôpital Saint-André Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Dominique Salmon
- Service Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, AP-HP, Hôpital Cochin, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Gail V Matthews
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rebecca Guy
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Natasha K Martin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Tim Spelman
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Maria Prins
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Mark Stoove
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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7
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van Santen DK, Stewart A, Doyle JS, Stoové MA, Asselin J, Klein MB, Young J, Berenguer J, Jarrin I, Lacombe K, Wittkop L, Leleux O, Salmon D, Bonnet F, Rauch A, Mugglin C, Matthews G, Prins M, Smit C, Boyd A, van der Valk M, Sacks-Davis R, Hellard ME. Cohort Profile: International Collaboration on Hepatitis C Elimination in HIV Cohorts (InCHEHC). Int J Epidemiol 2024; 53:dyad154. [PMID: 38066671 PMCID: PMC10859136 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyad154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela K van Santen
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ashleigh Stewart
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mark A Stoové
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC Australia
- Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jason Asselin
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Marina B Klein
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jim Young
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Juan Berenguer
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain
- Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Jarrin
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Karine Lacombe
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, IPLESP, Paris, France
- St Antoine Hospital, APHP, Paris, France
| | - Linda Wittkop
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Institut Bergonié, BPH, U1219, CIC-EC 1401, Bordeaux, France
- CHU de Bordeaux, Service d’information médicale, INSERM, Institut Bergonié, CIC-EC 1401, Bordeaux, France
- INRIA SISTM team, Talence, France
| | - Olivier Leleux
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Institut Bergonié, BPH, U1219, CIC-EC 1401, Bordeaux, France
| | - Dominique Salmon
- Université Paris Descartes, Service Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, AP-HP, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Fabrice Bonnet
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Institut Bergonié, BPH, U1219, CIC-EC 1401, Bordeaux, France
- CHU de Bordeaux, Service d’information médicale, INSERM, Institut Bergonié, CIC-EC 1401, Bordeaux, France
- CHU de Bordeaux, Hôpital Saint-André, Service de Médecine Interne et Maladies Infectieuses, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Andri Rauch
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Catrina Mugglin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gail Matthews
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Maria Prins
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity (AII), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute (APH), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Stichting HIV Monitoring, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Colette Smit
- Stichting HIV Monitoring, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anders Boyd
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Stichting HIV Monitoring, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marc van der Valk
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity (AII), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Stichting HIV Monitoring, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rachel Sacks-Davis
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC Australia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Margaret E Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Pedrana A, Bowring A, Heath K, Thomas AJ, Wilkinson A, Fletcher-Lartey S, Saich F, Munari S, Oliver J, Merner B, Altermatt A, Nguyen T, Nguyen L, Young K, Kerr P, Osborne D, Kwong EJL, Corona MV, Ke T, Zhang Y, Eisa L, Al-Qassas A, Malith D, Davis A, Gibbs L, Block K, Horyniak D, Wallace J, Power R, Vadasz D, Ryan R, Shearer F, Homer C, Collie A, Meagher N, Danchin M, Kaufman J, Wang P, Hassani A, Sadewo GRP, Robins G, Gallagher C, Matous P, Roden B, Karkavandi MA, Coutinho J, Broccatelli C, Koskinen J, Curtis S, Doyle JS, Geard N, Hill S, Coelho A, Scott N, Lusher D, Stoové MA, Gibney KB, Hellard M. Priority populations' experiences of isolation, quarantine and distancing for COVID-19: protocol for a longitudinal cohort study (Optimise Study). BMJ Open 2024; 14:e076907. [PMID: 38216183 PMCID: PMC10806709 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-076907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Longitudinal studies can provide timely and accurate information to evaluate and inform COVID-19 control and mitigation strategies and future pandemic preparedness. The Optimise Study is a multidisciplinary research platform established in the Australian state of Victoria in September 2020 to collect epidemiological, social, psychological and behavioural data from priority populations. It aims to understand changing public attitudes, behaviours and experiences of COVID-19 and inform epidemic modelling and support responsive government policy. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This protocol paper describes the data collection procedures for the Optimise Study, an ongoing longitudinal cohort of ~1000 Victorian adults and their social networks. Participants are recruited using snowball sampling with a set of seeds and two waves of snowball recruitment. Seeds are purposively selected from priority groups, including recent COVID-19 cases and close contacts and people at heightened risk of infection and/or adverse outcomes of COVID-19 infection and/or public health measures. Participants complete a schedule of monthly quantitative surveys and daily diaries for up to 24 months, plus additional surveys annually for up to 48 months. Cohort participants are recruited for qualitative interviews at key time points to enable in-depth exploration of people's lived experiences. Separately, community representatives are invited to participate in community engagement groups, which review and interpret research findings to inform policy and practice recommendations. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The Optimise longitudinal cohort and qualitative interviews are approved by the Alfred Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee (# 333/20). The Optimise Study CEG is approved by the La Trobe University Human Ethics Committee (# HEC20532). All participants provide informed verbal consent to enter the cohort, with additional consent provided prior to any of the sub studies. Study findings will be disseminated through public website (https://optimisecovid.com.au/study-findings/) and through peer-reviewed publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT05323799.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa Pedrana
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anna Bowring
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | | | - Anna Wilkinson
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Freya Saich
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Jane Oliver
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bronwen Merner
- Centre for Health Communication and Participation, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Thi Nguyen
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Long Nguyen
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Phoebe Kerr
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | | | - Martha Vazquez Corona
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tianhui Ke
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yanqin Zhang
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Limya Eisa
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Deng Malith
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Angela Davis
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lisa Gibbs
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Centre for Disaster Management and Public Safety, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Karen Block
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Danielle Horyniak
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jack Wallace
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert Power
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Danny Vadasz
- Health Issues Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rebecca Ryan
- Centre for Health Communication and Participation, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Freya Shearer
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Alex Collie
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Niamh Meagher
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Margaret Danchin
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jessica Kaufman
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peng Wang
- School of Business, Law and Entrepreneurship, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
- SNA Toolbox, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | | | - Garry Robins
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Colin Gallagher
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Petr Matous
- The University of Sydney Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Bopha Roden
- School of Business, Law and Entrepreneurship, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - James Coutinho
- School of Business, Law and Entrepreneurship, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chiara Broccatelli
- Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Johan Koskinen
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Statistics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stephanie Curtis
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nicholas Geard
- School of Computing & Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sophie Hill
- Centre for Health Communication and Participation, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Nick Scott
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dean Lusher
- School of Business, Law and Entrepreneurship, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
- SNA Toolbox, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark A Stoové
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katherine B Gibney
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Attwood LO, O'Keefe D, Higgs P, Vujovic O, Doyle JS, Stewardson AJ. Epidemiology of acute infections in people who inject drugs in Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2024; 43:304-314. [PMID: 37995135 PMCID: PMC10952783 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
ISSUES People who inject drugs are at risk of acute infections, such as skin and soft tissue infections, infective endocarditis, bone and joint infections and bloodstream infections. There has been an increase in these infections in people who inject drugs internationally over the past 10 years. However, the local data regarding acute infections in Australia has not been well described. APPROACH We review the epidemiology of acute infections and associated morbidity and mortality amongst people who inject drugs in Australia. We summarise risk factors for these infections, including the concurrent social and psychological determinants of health. KEY FINDINGS The proportion of people who report having injected drugs in the prior 12 months in Australia has decreased over the past 18 years. However, there has been an increase in the burden of acute infections in this population. This increase is driven largely by skin and soft tissue infections. People who inject drugs often have multiple conflicting priorities that can delay engagement in care. IMPLICATIONS Acute infections in people who inject drugs are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Acute infections contribute to significant bed days, surgical requirements and health-care costs in Australia. The increase in these infections is likely due to a complex interplay of microbiological, individual, social and environmental factors. CONCLUSION Acute infections in people who inject drugs in Australia represent a significant burden to both patients and health-care systems. Flexible health-care models, such as low-threshold wound clinics, would help directly target, and address early interventions, for these infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy O. Attwood
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical SchoolMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | | | - Peter Higgs
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia
- Department of Public HealthLa Trobe UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Olga Vujovic
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical SchoolMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical SchoolMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia
| | - Andrew J. Stewardson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical SchoolMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
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10
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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11
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Dawe J, Hughes M, Christensen S, Walsh L, Richmond JA, Pedrana A, Wilkinson AL, Owen L, Doyle JS. Evaluation of a person-centred, nurse-led model of care delivering hepatitis C testing and treatment in priority settings: a mixed-methods evaluation of the Tasmanian Eliminate Hepatitis C Australia Outreach Project, 2020-2022. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2289. [PMID: 37985979 PMCID: PMC10662700 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17066-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Australia has experienced sustained reductions in hepatitis C testing and treatment and may miss its 2030 elimination targets. Addressing gaps in community-based hepatitis C prescribing in priority settings that did not have, or did not prioritise, hepatitis C testing and treatment care pathways is critical. METHODS The Tasmanian Eliminate Hepatitis C Australia Outreach Project delivered a nurse-led outreach model of care servicing hepatitis C priority populations in the community through the Tasmanian Statewide Sexual Health Service, supported by the Eliminating Hepatitis C Australia partnership. Settings included alcohol and other drug services, needle and syringe programs and mental health services. The project provided clients with clinical care across the hepatitis C cascade of care, including testing, treatment, and post-treatment support and hepatitis C education for staff. RESULTS Between July 2020 and July 2022, a total of 43 sites were visited by one Clinical Nurse Consultant. There was a total of 695 interactions with clients across 219 days of service delivery by the Clinical Nurse Consultant. A total of 383 clients were tested for hepatitis C (antibody, RNA, or both). A total of 75 clients were diagnosed with hepatitis C RNA, of which 95% (71/75) commenced treatment, 83% (62/75) completed treatment and 52% (39/75) received a negative hepatitis C RNA test at least 12 weeks after treatment completion. CONCLUSIONS Providing outreach hepatitis C services in community-based services was effective in engaging people living with and at-risk of hepatitis C, in education, testing, and care. Nurse-led, person-centred care was critical to the success of the project. Our evaluation underscores the importance of employing a partnership approach when delivering hepatitis C models of care in community settings, and incorporating workforce education and capacity-building activities when working with non-specialist healthcare professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Dawe
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Megan Hughes
- Sexual Health Service Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | | | - Louisa Walsh
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Health Communication and Participation, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Alisa Pedrana
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Anna L Wilkinson
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Louise Owen
- Sexual Health Service Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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12
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Curtis SJ, Colledge-Frisby S, Stewardson AJ, Doyle JS, Higgs P, Maher L, Hickman M, Stoové MA, Dietze PM. Prevalence and incidence of emergency department presentations and hospital separations with injecting-related infections in a longitudinal cohort of people who inject drugs. Epidemiol Infect 2023; 151:e192. [PMID: 37953739 PMCID: PMC10728979 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268823001784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
People who inject drugs are at risk of acute bacterial and fungal injecting-related infections. There is evidence that incidence of hospitalizations for injecting-related infections are increasing in several countries, but little is known at an individual level. We aimed to examine injecting-related infections in a linked longitudinal cohort of people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia. A retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted to estimate the prevalence and incidence of injecting-related infections using administrative emergency department and hospital separation datasets linked to the SuperMIX cohort, from 2008 to 2018. Over the study period, 33% (95%CI: 31-36%) of participants presented to emergency department with any injecting-related infections and 27% (95%CI: 25-30%) were admitted to hospital. Of 1,044 emergency department presentations and 740 hospital separations, skin and soft tissue infections were most common, 88% and 76%, respectively. From 2008 to 2018, there was a substantial increase in emergency department presentations and hospital separations with any injecting-related infections, 48 to 135 per 1,000 person-years, and 18 to 102 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. The results emphasize that injecting-related infections are increasing, and that new models of care are needed to help prevent and facilitate early detection of superficial infection to avoid potentially life-threatening severe infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie J. Curtis
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Samantha Colledge-Frisby
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrew J. Stewardson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Peter Higgs
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Lisa Maher
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- The Kirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW, Wallace Wurth Building, Kensington, NSW, Australia
| | - Matthew Hickman
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Mark A. Stoové
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- The Kirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW, Wallace Wurth Building, Kensington, NSW, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Paul M. Dietze
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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13
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Marukutira T, Barter R, Moore KP, Hellard ME, Richmond J, Turner K, Pedrana AE, Melody S, Johnston FH, Owen L, Boom WVD, Scott N, Thompson A, Iser DM, Spelman T, Veitch M, Stoové M, Doyle JS. Connecting patients notified with hepatitis C to treatment (CONNECT Study): A randomized controlled trial of active case management by a health department to support primary care practitioners. Int J Drug Policy 2023; 121:104184. [PMID: 37714008 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite subsidised access to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), hepatitis C (HCV) treatment uptake in Australia is declining. Interventions are needed to link people living with HCV to care and treatment. We implemented and measured effectiveness of a state-wide, health department-led, enhanced case management through the primary care practitioner for all HCV notifications, aiming to encourage and support treatment commencement. METHODS A randomised controlled trial compared enhanced case management, delivered by the health department to diagnosing clinicians, with standard of care using notifiable disease systems in Tasmania, Australia (2020-21). The intervention involved a nurse specialist contacting and providing support by telephone to primary care practitioners making an HCV notification. The primary outcome was the proportion of cases notified with chronic hepatitis C who commenced treatment within 12 weeks of notification. We allowed a 12-week extended follow-up period at the end of the study for participants with no outcomes. RESULTS Eighty-five primary care practitioners randomised to the intervention and 86 to standard of care arms notified 111 and 115 HCV cases, respectively. The proportion of cases notified with chronic hepatitis (HCV RNA detected) commencing treatment within 12 weeks was similar between study arms (41% vs 33%; p=0·51) and after extended study follow-up (65% vs 48%; p=0·18). RNA test completion was higher in the intervention than in standard of care arm (89% vs. 78%; p=0·03), while completing pre-treatment workup for chronic patients (65% vs. 64%; p=0·93) was similar. CONCLUSION This was the first prospective randomised study of the utility of immediate HCV notification follow-up of primary care practitioners to enhance treatment uptake using disease notification surveillance data. We demonstrated improvement in HCV RNA testing and trend toward better engagement in care, but no significant increase in treatment uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tafireyi Marukutira
- Public Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | | | | | | | - Jacqui Richmond
- Public Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kate Turner
- Department of Health, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Alisa E Pedrana
- Public Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shannon Melody
- Public Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Louise Owen
- Department of Health, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Nick Scott
- Public Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alexander Thompson
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
| | - David M Iser
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
| | - Timothy Spelman
- Public Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark Veitch
- Department of Health, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Mark Stoové
- Public Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Public Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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14
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Traeger MW, Harney BL, Sacks-Davis R, van Santen DK, Cornelisse VJ, Wright EJ, Hellard ME, Doyle JS, Stoové MA. Incidence and Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Among HIV-Negative Gay and Bisexual Men Using HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Open Forum Infect Dis 2023; 10:ofad401. [PMID: 37593532 PMCID: PMC10428087 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofad401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Gay and bisexual men using HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are at increased risk for sexually transmissible infections. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) risk among PrEP users is less clear. We explored HCV prevalence and incidence among cohorts of gay and bisexual men using PrEP and sources of heterogeneity across studies. Methods This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of open-label PrEP studies to April 2022 reporting HCV prevalence at baseline or incidence during follow-up among gay and bisexual men using PrEP. Pooled prevalence and incidence estimates were calculated using random-effects meta-analysis, and subgroup analyses were performed by study- and country-level characteristics, including availability of HCV direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy at time of study. Results Twenty-four studies from 9 countries were included, with a total sample of 24 733 gay and bisexual men. Pooled HCV antibody baseline prevalence was 0.97% (95% CI, 0.63%-1.31%), and pooled HCV RNA baseline prevalence was 0.38% (95% CI, 0.19%-0.56%). Among 19 studies reporting HCV incidence, incidence ranged from 0.0 to 2.93/100 person-years (py); the pooled estimate was 0.83/100py (95% CI, 0.55-1.11). HCV incidence was higher in 12 studies that began follow-up before broad DAA availability (1.27/100py) than in 8 studies that began follow-up after broad DAA availability (0.34/100py) and higher in studies in Europe compared with North America and Australia. Conclusions Early reports of high HCV incidence among PrEP-using cohorts likely reflect enrollment of individuals based on specific risk-based eligibility criteria for smaller studies and enrollment before DAA scale-up. In contexts where both DAAs and PrEP have been implemented at scale, studies report lower HCV incidence. PrEP-specific HCV testing guidelines should be guided by local epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Traeger
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Brendan L Harney
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rachel Sacks-Davis
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Daniela K van Santen
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Research and Prevention, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Vincent J Cornelisse
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Kirketon Road Centre, Sydney, Australia
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Edwina J Wright
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Margaret E Hellard
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mark A Stoové
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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15
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Rathnayake K, Agius PA, Ward B, Hickman M, Maher L, Stoové M, Doyle JS, Hellard M, Wilkinson A, Quinn B, Crawford S, Sutton K, Dietze P. The impacts of COVID-19 measures on drug markets and drug use among a cohort of people who use methamphetamine in Victoria, Australia. Addiction 2023; 118:1557-1568. [PMID: 36918365 PMCID: PMC10953406 DOI: 10.1111/add.16189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Few studies of the impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health measures on drug markets and drug use patterns have used longitudinal data. We aimed to examine whether COVID-19 measures were associated with increases in methamphetamine price, decreases in methamphetamine use frequency and subsequent changes in secondary outcomes of other drug use frequency in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. DESIGN Longitudinal analysis framework was used from a longitudinal cohort of people who use methamphetamine. SETTING Victoria state, Australia. PARTICIPANTS One hundred eighty-five VMAX study participants who reported a methamphetamine purchase after the onset of the pandemic were used for the price paid analysis. Methamphetamine or other drug use frequency analysis was performed using 277 participants who used methamphetamine during the pandemic or in the year before the pandemic. MEASUREMENTS Price paid per gram of methamphetamine derived from the most recent purchase price and most recent purchase quantity. Frequency of methamphetamine and other drug use measured as the average number of days per week used in the last month. FINDINGS Compared with pre-COVID-19 period, methamphetamine prices increased by AUD351.63 (P value <0.001) and by AUD456.51 (P value <0.001) in Melbourne and regional Victoria, respectively, during the period in which the most intense public health measures were implemented in Victoria. Although prices decreased after harder restrictions were lifted (by AUD232.84, P value <0.001 and AUD263.68, P value <0.001, in Melbourne and regional Victoria, respectively), they remained higher than pre-COVID-19 levels. A complementary 76% decrease was observed in relation to methamphetamine use frequency in regional Victoria (P value = 0.006) that was not offset by any changes in the frequency of use of other drugs such as alcohol, tobacco or other illicit drugs. CONCLUSION COVID-19 public health measures in Victoria state, Australia, appear to have been associated with major price changes in the methamphetamine market and decreased frequency of use of the drug.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul A. Agius
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Faculty of HealthDeakin UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global HealthUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Bernadette Ward
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Rural HealthMonash UniversityBendigoVictoriaAustralia
| | - Matthew Hickman
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical SchoolUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Lisa Maher
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Kirby InstituteUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Mark Stoové
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Alfred HospitalMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global HealthUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Alfred HospitalMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Doherty InstituteUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Anna Wilkinson
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global HealthUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Brendan Quinn
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Australian Institute of Family StudiesMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | | | - Keith Sutton
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Rural HealthMonash UniversityBendigoVictoriaAustralia
| | - Paul Dietze
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- School of Rural HealthMonash UniversityBendigoVictoriaAustralia
- National Drug Research Institute Melbourne OfficeCurtin UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
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16
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Howell J, Van H, Pham MD, Sawhney R, Li F, Bhat P, Lubel J, Kemp W, Bloom S, Majumdar A, McCaughan GW, Hall S, Spelman T, Doyle JS, Hellard M, Visvanathan K, Thompson A, Drummer HE, Anderson D. Validation of a novel point-of-care test for alanine aminotransferase measurement: A pilot cohort study. Liver Int 2023; 43:989-999. [PMID: 36719055 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) measurement is essential for evaluation of liver disease. We validated a novel rapid point-of-care (POC) test for ALT1 against laboratory ALT. METHODS Stored plasma samples from adults with chronic liver disease (Test cohort n = 240; Validation cohort n = 491) were analysed using the BioPoint® antigen immunoassay POC ALT1 lateral flow test, which provides quantitative ALT results (Axxin handheld reader) or semi-quantitative results (visual read, cut off 40 IU/ml). The accuracy of POC ALT1 to detect ALT > 40 IU/L was determined by ROC analysis. In patients with chronic hepatitis B, treatment eligibility (EASL criteria) was determined using POC ALT1 and compared to laboratory ALT. RESULTS POC ALT1 test had good accuracy for laboratory ALT > 40 IU/L: AUROC 0.93 (95% CI: 0.89-0.96) in the Test cohort and AUROC 0.92 (95% CI: 0.88-0.95) in the Validation cohort. POC ALT1 cut off of 0.8 for ALT > 40 IU/L maximised sensitivity (97%) and specificity (71%) in the Test cohort (42% laboratory ALT > 40 IU/L) and yielded PPV 84% and NPV 91% in the Validation cohort (19% laboratory ALT > 40 IU/L). Semi-quantitative POC ALT1 had good accuracy for laboratory ALT in the Validation cohort (AUROC 0.85, 95% CI: 0.81-0.99; sensitivity 77% and specificity 93%). Combined with HBV DNA and transient elastography, both quantitative and semi-quantitative POC ALT1 tests had good accuracy for excluding hepatitis B treatment needs (sensitivity 96%, specificity 78% and NPV 99%). CONCLUSION The POC ALT1 test had good accuracy for elevated ALT levels and for determining treatment eligibility among people with chronic hepatitis B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Howell
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- St Vincent's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Huy Van
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Minh D Pham
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rohit Sawhney
- St Vincent's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Eastern Health, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Fan Li
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - John Lubel
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - William Kemp
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Stephen Bloom
- Department of Gastroenterology, Eastern Health, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Avik Majumdar
- A.W.Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Geoffrey W McCaughan
- A.W.Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Centenary Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Samuel Hall
- St Vincent's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Joseph S Doyle
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kumar Visvanathan
- St Vincent's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Heidi E Drummer
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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17
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Attwood LO, Bryant M, Lee SJ, Vujovic O, Higgs P, Doyle JS, Stewardson AJ. Epidemiology and Management of invasive infections among people who Use drugs (EMU): protocol for a prospective, multicentre cohort study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e070236. [PMID: 37012020 PMCID: PMC10083776 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-070236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION People who inject drugs (PWID) are at risk of invasive infections such as bloodstream infections, endocarditis, osteomyelitis and septic arthritis. Such infections require prolonged antibiotic therapy, but there is limited evidence about the optimal care model to deliver to this population. The Epidemiology and Management of invasive infections among people who Use drugs (EMU) study aims to (1) describe the current burden, clinical spectrum, management and outcomes of invasive infections in PWID; (2) determine the impact of currently available models of care on completion of planned antimicrobials for PWID admitted to hospital with invasive infections and (3) determine postdischarge outcomes of PWID admitted with invasive infections at 30 and 90 days. METHODS AND ANALYSIS EMU is a prospective multicentre cohort study of Australian public hospitals who provide care to PWIDs with invasive infections. All patients who have injected drugs in the previous six months and are admitted to a participating site for management of an invasive infection are eligible. EMU has two components: (1) EMU-Audit will collect information from medical records, including demographics, clinical presentation, management and outcomes; (2) EMU-Cohort will augment this with interviews at baseline, 30 and 90 days post-discharge, and data linkage examining readmission rates and mortality. The primary exposure is antimicrobial treatment modality, categorised as inpatient intravenous antimicrobials, outpatient antimicrobial therapy, early oral antibiotics or lipoglycopeptide. The primary outcome is confirmed completion of planned antimicrobials. We aim to recruit 146 participants over a 2-year period. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION EMU has been approved by the Alfred Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee (Project number 78815.) EMU-Audit will collect non-identifiable data with a waiver of consent. EMU-Cohort will collect identifiable data with informed consent. Findings will be presented at scientific conferences and disseminated by peer-review publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ACTRN12622001173785; Pre-results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy O Attwood
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mellissa Bryant
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sue J Lee
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Olga Vujovic
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Higgs
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew J Stewardson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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18
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Manoharan L, Latham NH, Munari SC, Traeger MW, Menon V, Luhmann N, Baggaley R, Macdonald V, Verster A, Siegfried N, Matthews GV, Stoové M, Hellard ME, Doyle JS. Immediate treatment for recent hepatitis C infection in people with high-risk behaviors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Hepatol Commun 2023; 7:02009842-202304010-00002. [PMID: 36930865 PMCID: PMC10027039 DOI: 10.1097/hc9.0000000000000082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are almost exclusively approved for the treatment of chronic HCV. This poses a significant barrier to the treatment of recently acquired HCV because of the limited access to DAAs. This review seeks to address this issue by synthesizing evidence of the benefits and harms of immediate treatment after the detection of recently acquired HCV in people at higher risk of infection. APPROACH AND RESULTS A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted reporting on populations with recently acquired HCV at higher risk of infection. Studies were included if they assessed standard duration DAA treatment regimens and reported on the benefits and harms of immediate treatment (within one year of diagnosis). Outcomes included sustained virological response at 12 weeks post-treatment (SVR12), incidence, treatment initiation and adherence, overtreatment, engagement in care, and adverse events. Eight cohort studies, 3 open-label trials, and 1 case series study were included, reporting on 2085 participants with recently acquired HCV infection. No studies included a comparison group. Eight studies assessed DAA treatment in either men who have sex with men or men who have sex with men with HIV, 2 studies assessed treatment in people who inject drugs, and 2 among people living with HIV. Immediate treatment of HCV was associated with a pooled SVR12 of 95.9% (95% CI, 92.6%-99.3%). Three studies reported on hepatitis C incidence, where most participants were treated in the chronic phase of infection. A treatment completion rate of 100% was reported in 2 studies, and only 1 serious adverse event was described. CONCLUSIONS High rates of cure were achieved with the treatment of recently acquired hepatitis C in people at higher risk of infection. Serious adverse events were rare, highlighting individual benefits consistent with the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. The impact of immediate treatment on HCV incidence requires further evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Michael W Traeger
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Niklas Luhmann
- World Health Organization, Global HIV, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Gail V Matthews
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mark Stoové
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Margaret E Hellard
- 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
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- 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
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19
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Isfordink CJ, Boyd A, Sacks-Davis R, van Santen DK, Smit C, Martinello M, Stoove M, Berenguer J, Wittkop L, Klein MB, Rauch A, Salmon D, Lacombe K, Stewart A, Schinkel J, Doyle JS, Hellard M, van der Valk M, Matthews GV. Reasons for not commencing direct-acting antiviral treatment despite unrestricted access for individuals with HIV and hepatitis C virus: a multinational, prospective cohort study. Lancet Public Health 2023; 8:e294-e304. [PMID: 36965984 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-2667(23)00056-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) who remain untreated with direct-acting antivirals can contribute to HCV transmission and HCV-related mortality. We aimed to compare rates of uptake of direct-acting antivirals following unrestricted access to this treatment in high-income countries and examine factors associated with remaining untreated. METHODS This multinational, prospective cohort study used data from the International Collaboration on Hepatitis C Elimination in HIV Cohorts (InCHEHC). We analysed data from nine observational cohorts participating in the InCHEHC, including data from six high-income countries (Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland). We included individuals aged 18 years and older, with HIV and HCV (ie, HCV-RNA positive without evidence of spontaneous clearance) during unrestricted access to interferon-free direct-acting antiviral treatment in each country. We calculated the cumulative proportion of participants who remained untreated with direct-acting antivirals, with follow-up starting after the date of unrestricted access or cohort inclusion, whichever occurred most recently. Factors associated with the commencement rate of direct-acting antiviral treatment were assessed using competing-risks regression with the Fine-Gray method. FINDINGS The date of unrestricted access to direct-acting antiviral treatment for people with HIV ranged from Nov 1, 2014, in France to Nov 1, 2017, in Switzerland. We included 4552 individuals with HIV-HCV, mainly men who have sex with men (MSM; n=2156 [47%]) and people who inject or have injected drugs (n=1453 [32%]). 1365 (30%) of 4552 participants remained untreated with direct-acting antivirals. For individuals treated with direct-acting antivirals, median time from start of follow-up to treatment was 5 months (IQR 2-12). For individuals who were not treated with direct-acting antivirals, median follow-up was 22 months (8-30). Being linked to care in Australia, France, or the Netherlands, on antiretroviral therapy, having undetectable HIV RNA, and shorter duration since first positive HCV test were independently associated with higher commencement rate of direct-acting antiviral treatment. Compared with MSM, male heterosexuals and females with unknown or other routes of HIV transmission (ie, neither injection drug use nor heterosexual transmission) had lower rates of commencement. INTERPRETATION Despite unrestricted access, almost a third of individuals with HIV-HCV remained untreated with direct-acting antivirals during follow-up, with variation in commencement rate of HCV treatment between countries and key populations. Increased efforts are required to reach the remaining individuals with HIV who are HCV-viraemic to achieve HIV-HCV micro-elimination. FUNDING None.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cas J Isfordink
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Anders Boyd
- Stichting HIV Monitoring, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Infectious Diseases, Research, and Prevention, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Rachel Sacks-Davis
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Doherty Institute and School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Daniela K van Santen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Infectious Diseases, Research, and Prevention, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Colette Smit
- Stichting HIV Monitoring, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Mark Stoove
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Juan Berenguer
- Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Linda Wittkop
- University of Bordeaux, INSERM, Institut Bergonié, BPH, U1219, CIC-EC 1401, Bordeaux, France; INRIA, Talence, France; CHU de Bordeaux, Service d'Information Médicale, INSERM, Institut Bergonié, CIC-EC 1401, Bordeaux, France
| | - Marina B Klein
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Chronic Viral Illness Service, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Andri Rauch
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Salmon
- Service Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, AP-HP Centre, Hôspital Cochin Hôtel Dieu, Paris, France
| | - Karine Lacombe
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, IPLESP, Paris, France
| | - Ashleigh Stewart
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Janke Schinkel
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Section of Clinical Virology, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Doherty Institute and School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Marc van der Valk
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Stichting HIV Monitoring, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Gail V Matthews
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Howell J, Van H, Pham MD, Sawhney R, Li F, Bhat P, Lubel J, Kemp W, Bloom S, Majumdar A, McCaughan G, Spelman T, Doyle JS, Hellard M, Visvanathan K, Thompson A, Anderson D. A novel point-of-care test for cirrhosis based on dimeric to monomeric IgA ratio in blood: a pilot cohort study. Hepatol Commun 2023; 7:e0106. [PMID: 36995999 PMCID: PMC10069834 DOI: 10.1097/hc9.0000000000000106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Dimeric IgA to monomeric IgA ratio (dIgA ratio) is a biomarker of gut mucosal leakage in liver cirrhosis. We evaluated the diagnostic performance of a novel point-of-care (POC) dIgA ratio test for cirrhosis. METHODS Plasma samples from people with chronic liver disease were analyzed using the BioPoint POC dIgA ratio antigen immunoassay lateral flow test. Cirrhosis was defined by Fibroscan>12.5 kPa, clinical evidence of cirrhosis or liver histopathology. POC dIgA test diagnostic accuracy was determined in a test cohort using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis; optimal cutoffs for sensitivity and specificity were then applied to a validation cohort. RESULTS A total of 1478 plasma samples from 866 patients with chronic liver disease were included (test cohort n = 260, validation cohort n = 606). In all, 32% had cirrhosis; 44% Child-Pugh A, 26% Child-Pugh B, and 29% Child-Pugh C. Median POC dIgA ratio was higher in cirrhosis (0.9) compared with no cirrhosis (0.4, p < 0.001), and in Child-Pugh class B/C compared with A cirrhosis (1.4 Child-Pugh B/C vs. 0.6 Child-Pugh A, p < 0.001). POC dIgA ratio test had good diagnostic accuracy for liver cirrhosis in the test cohort (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve=0.80); a dIgA ratio cutoff of 0.6 had a sensitivity of 74% and specificity of 86%. POC dIgA test accuracy was moderate in the validation cohort (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve=0.75; positive predictive value 64%, negative predictive value 83%). Using a dual cutoff approach, 79% of cirrhosis cases were correctly diagnosed and further testing was avoided in 57%. CONCLUSIONS POC dIgA ratio test had moderate accuracy for cirrhosis. Further studies evaluating the accuracy of POC dIgA ratio testing for cirrhosis screening are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Howell
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- St Vincent’s Hospital and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Huy Van
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Minh D. Pham
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rohit Sawhney
- St Vincent’s Hospital and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Eastern Health, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Fan Li
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - John Lubel
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Alfred Hospital and Monash Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - William Kemp
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Alfred Hospital and Monash Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Avik Majumdar
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Geoff McCaughan
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Centenary Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kumar Visvanathan
- St Vincent’s Hospital and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alexander Thompson
- St Vincent’s Hospital and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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21
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Roder C, Cosgrave C, Mackie K, Roberts SK, Hellard ME, Wade AJ, Doyle JS. Leave No-One Behind: A Retrospective Study of Hepatitis C Testing and Linkage to Care for Hospital Inpatients. Viruses 2023; 15:v15040913. [PMID: 37112893 PMCID: PMC10141486 DOI: 10.3390/v15040913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hospital admissions are a missed opportunity to engage people living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) into care. This study aimed to describe the proportion of hospital inpatients and emergency department (ED) patients identified with hepatitis C who were subsequently linked to care and treatment at a metropolitan health service in Melbourne, Australia. Data were collected retrospectively from hospital databases (admissions, notifiable diseases, and pharmacy) for all adults admitted or attending the ED with separation coding indicating hepatitis C infection from March 2016 to March 2019. There were 2149 patients with at least one separation with hepatitis C coding. 15.4% (331/2149) had a documented antibody test, 4.6% (99/2149) had a documented RNA test, and 8.3% (179/2149) had a DAA prescription dispensed by hospital pharmacy. Antibody positivity was 95.2% (315/331) and RNA (when completed) was detected in 37.4% (37/99). Hepatitis specialist units had the highest rate of hepatitis C coded separations and RNA testing (39/88; 44.3%), mental health had the highest rate of antibody testing (70/276; 25.4%). Emergency had the lowest rate of antibody testing (101/1075; 13.7%) and the third highest rate of RNA testing (32/94; 34.1%), but the highest rate of RNA detected (15/32; 46.9%). This study highlights key steps to improve the care cascade. Simplified diagnostic pathways, expansion of hepatitis C care services, and clear in-hospital pathways to link patients to care would be beneficial in this setting. To scale up hepatitis C testing and treatment as part of national elimination strategies, hospital systems need to target interventions to their local data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Roder
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne 3004, Australia
- Centre for Innovation in Infectious Disease and Immunology Research (CIIDIR), Deakin University, Geelong 3220, Australia
- Barwon South West Public Health Unit, Barwon Health, Geelong 3220, Australia
| | - Carl Cosgrave
- Barwon South West Public Health Unit, Barwon Health, Geelong 3220, Australia
| | - Kathryn Mackie
- Barwon South West Public Health Unit, Barwon Health, Geelong 3220, Australia
| | - Stuart K. Roberts
- Department of Gastroenterology, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne 3004, Australia
| | | | - Amanda J. Wade
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne 3004, Australia
- Centre for Innovation in Infectious Disease and Immunology Research (CIIDIR), Deakin University, Geelong 3220, Australia
- Barwon South West Public Health Unit, Barwon Health, Geelong 3220, Australia
| | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne 3004, Australia
- Department of Infectious Disease, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne 3004, Australia
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22
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Moussa D, Wallace J, Manski-Nankervis JA, Doyle JS, Nguyen L, Boyle D, Stoové MA, Asselin J, Valaydon Z, Ahad M, Glasgow S, New K, Hocking JS, Sanci L, Thompson A, Hellard M, Howell J. Assessment of a primary care e-support package of automated case finding, simplified treatment algorithm and decision support to increase hepatitis B treatment uptake in primary care clinics in Australia (SIMPLY-B Study): protocol for a pilot evaluation. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e070663. [PMID: 36927591 PMCID: PMC10030932 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-070663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite the availability of effective, subsidised hepatitis B treatment, linkage to care and treatment rates remain very low globally. In Australia, specially trained primary care physicians (general practitioner, GPs) can prescribe hepatitis B treatment, however, most hepatitis B care occurs in specialist clinics. Increasing hepatitis B management by GPs in primary care clinics is essential to achieve national hepatitis B linkage to care and treatment targets by 2030.This pilot study determines the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of Simply B, a novel GP hepatitis B e-support package designed to increase hepatitis B management by GPs in primary care clinics. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This study will be conducted in three parts:Part A: A prospective open-label pilot intervention study, comparing the proportion of people with hepatitis B who are managed by their GP in primary care clinics before, 12 months and 24 months after implementation of the Simply B electronic hepatitis B support package.Part B: A nested qualitative health services feasibility study using semistructured interviews and thematic analysisPart C: Cost-effectiveness analysis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study has received ethics approval by St Vincent's Hospital. Data management and analysis will be centralised through the Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT05614466.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Moussa
- The University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jack Wallace
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jo-Anne Manski-Nankervis
- The University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Long Nguyen
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Douglas Boyle
- The University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | | | - Zina Valaydon
- The University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marvad Ahad
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Susanne Glasgow
- St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kate New
- St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jane S Hocking
- School of Population and Global Health, Univerisy of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lena Sanci
- The University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alexander Thompson
- The University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jess Howell
- The University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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23
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van Santen DK, Sacks-Davis R, Stewart A, Boyd A, Young J, van der Valk M, Smit C, Rauch A, Braun DL, Jarrin I, Berenguer J, Lazarus JV, Lacombe K, Requena MB, Wittkop L, Leleux O, Salmon D, Bonnet F, Matthews G, Doyle JS, Spelman T, Klein MB, Prins M, Asselin J, Stoové MA, Hellard M. Treatment as prevention effect of direct-acting antivirals on primary hepatitis C virus incidence: Findings from a multinational cohort between 2010 and 2019. EClinicalMedicine 2023; 56:101810. [PMID: 36618902 PMCID: PMC9816910 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Broad direct-acting antiviral (DAA) access may reduce hepatitis C virus (HCV) incidence through a "treatment as prevention" (TasP) effect. We assessed changes in primary HCV incidence following DAA access among people living with HIV (PLHIV). METHODS We used pooled individual-level data from six cohorts from the International Collaboration on Hepatitis C Elimination in HIV Cohorts (InCHEHC). Follow-up started from the first recorded negative HCV antibody test date and ended at last negative antibody test or estimated infection date. Follow-up was restricted to 2010-2019. We used segmented Poisson regression to model trends across pre-, limited- (i.e., restrictions on access) and broad-DAA access periods. FINDINGS Overall, 45,942 participants had at least one HCV antibody negative result and follow-up between 2010 and 2019. We observed 2042 incident HCV infections over 248,189 person-years (PY). Pooled incidence decreased from 0.91 per 100 PY in 2015 to 0.41 per 100 PY in 2019. Compared to the average pre-DAA period incidence (0.90 per 100 PY), average incidence was similar during the limited-DAA access period (Incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.98; 95%CI = 0.87, 1.11), and 52% lower during the broad-DAA access period (IRR = 0.48; 95%CI = 0.42, 0.52). The average annual decline in HCV incidence was 2% in the pre-DAA period; an additional 9% annual decline in incidence was observed during the limited-DAA access period (IRR = 0.91; 95%CI = 0.82, 1.00) and a further 20% decline in the broad-DAA access period (IRR = 0.80, 95%CI = 0.73, 0.89). INTERPRETATION Our findings suggest that broad DAA access has a TasP effect on primary HCV incidence among PLHIV. Based on the initial years of DAA availability, the countries in the InCHEHC collaboration are on track to meet the World Health Organization's 80% HCV incidence reduction target for PLHIV by 2030. FUNDING This study was funded by the Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council (Grant number GNT1132902).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela K. van Santen
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Corresponding author.
| | - Rachel Sacks-Davis
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ashleigh Stewart
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Anders Boyd
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Stichting Hiv Monitoring, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jim Young
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Marc van der Valk
- Stichting Hiv Monitoring, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity (AI&II), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Colette Smit
- Stichting Hiv Monitoring, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Andri Rauch
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Inselspital, University Hospital of Bern, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Dominique L. Braun
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Inmaculada Jarrin
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Berenguer
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain
- Infectious Diseases. Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón (IsSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jeffrey V. Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Karine Lacombe
- Sorbonne Université, IPLESP INSERM UMR-S1136, St Antoine Hospital, APHP, Paris, France
| | | | - Linda Wittkop
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Institut Bergonié BPH U1219, CIC-EC 1401, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
- INRIA SISTM Team, Talence, France
- CHU de Bordeaux, Service d'information Médicale, INSERM, Institut Bergonié, CIC-EC 1401, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Olivier Leleux
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Institut Bergonié BPH U1219, CIC-EC 1401, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Dominique Salmon
- Université Paris Descartes, Service Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, AP-HP, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Fabrice Bonnet
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Institut Bergonié BPH U1219, CIC-EC 1401, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
- CHU de Bordeaux, Service de Médecine Interne et Maladies Infectieuses, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Gail Matthews
- The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Tim Spelman
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Marina B. Klein
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Maria Prins
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity Institute (AI&II), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jason Asselin
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mark A. Stoové
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Margaret 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 and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Goutzamanis S, Doyle JS, Horyniak D, Higgs P, Hellard M. "Like a pickle that's been unpickled": Emotional, identity and behavioural transformations throughout hepatitis C treatment. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272401. [PMID: 36508406 PMCID: PMC9744280 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little is known about the emotional experience and benefits of undertaking direct acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for hepatitis C. A better understanding of individual treatment outcomes can inform acceptable treatment delivery and promotion. We aimed to explore participant-perceived emotional benefits and transformations throughout DAA treatment among people who inject drugs, who were initiating treatment. METHODS Participants were recruited from either a community based clinical trial or community health clinics. Semi structured interviews were conducted with each participant before, during and following treatment. Interviews focussed on treatment perceptions, physical and mental wellbeing and modifiable health behaviours. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Participant and cohort matrices were produced to assess at which time point themes were present and whether themes changed or remained stable over time. RESULTS This paper presents analysis from 19 participants interviewed between 2017-2019. Most participants were male, with no or mild fibrosis. At baseline, all but one participant had injected drugs in the past month. Three themes relating to the emotional wellbeing and behaviour change described a common treatment experience; 'hopes for better wellbeing', 'lifting the weight' and 'closing the chapter'. Participants were hopeful treatment would improve their emotional wellbeing. Hopes were actualised during treatment as participants began to feel uncertainty and stress easing. Completing treatment improved some participants perceptions of self. Some participants consciously changed their injecting behaviours during treatment. CONCLUSION Undertaking and completing treatment was an emotionally and behaviourally transformative period. Participant perceived benefits should be used to inform how treatment benefit is conceptualised and how treatment is promoted in primary care settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stelliana Goutzamanis
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Danielle Horyniak
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Behaviour and Health Risks Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Higgs
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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25
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Baswa A, Russo PL, Doyle JS, Ayton D, Stewardson AJ. Experience and perspectives of infection prevention staff of the COVID-19 response in Australian hospitals. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2022; 11:77. [PMID: 35655247 PMCID: PMC9161183 DOI: 10.1186/s13756-022-01116-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hospital infection prevention and control (IPC) staff have played a key role in adapting and implementing jurisdictional COVID-19 policy during the current pandemic. We aimed to describe the experiences of IPC staff in Australian hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic to inform future pandemic preparedness plans.
Methods A cross-sectional study involving an online survey distributed to IPC practitioners employed in Australian hospitals. Survey content was informed by in-depth interviews, and addressed work conditions, redeployed workforce, personal protective equipment, communication, and guidelines. Participants were recruited through the mailing lists of Australasian College of Infection Prevention and Control and the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases. Results We received fully or partially completed responses from 160 participants, including 38 (24%) and 122 (76%) with nursing and medical backgrounds, respectively. Respondents reported access to sufficient information about PPE (75%, 114/152), PPE was of sufficient quantity (77%, 117/152) and was of sufficient quality (70%, 106/152). Barriers to infection prevention guideline implementation included frequently changing guidelines (57%, 84/148), timing of updates (65%, 96/148) and contradictory sources of information (64%, 95/148). Respondents described a need for better communication channels from government authorities to hospital IPC teams. All respondents described an increase in workload leading to difficulty completing work (63%, 97/154) and feeling burnt out (48%, 74/154). Conclusions These data identify avoidable barriers to implementation of COVID-19 infection prevention guidance in Australian hospitals. These findings can inform future national preparedness strategies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13756-022-01116-9.
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Langham FJ, Curtis SJ, Tang MJ, Jomon B, Doyle JS, Vujovic O, Stewardson AJ. Acute injection-related infections requiring hospitalisation among people who inject drugs: Clinical features, microbiology and management. Drug Alcohol Rev 2022; 41:1543-1553. [PMID: 36053863 PMCID: PMC9804300 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION People who inject drugs are at risk of hospitalisation with injection-related infections (IRI). We audited the clinical features, microbiology and management of IRI at a tertiary service in Melbourne to describe the burden and identify quality improvement opportunities. METHODS We performed retrospective review of IRI admissions from January 2017 to April 2019. We extracted admissions where ICD-10 codes or triage text suggested injecting drug use, and the diagnosis suggested IRI. We reviewed these for eligibility and extracted data using a standardised form. We performed mixed-effects logistic regression to determine predictors of unplanned discharge. RESULTS From 574 extracted candidate admissions, 226 were eligible, representing 178 patients. Median age was 41 years (interquartile range 36-47), 66% (117/178) male and 49% (111/226) had unstable housing. Over 50% (96/178) had a psychiatric diagnosis and 35% (62/178) were on opioid agonist therapy (OAT) on admission. Skin and soft tissue infection was the most common IRI (119/205, 58%), followed by bacteraemia (36/205, 18%) and endocarditis (26/205, 13%). Management included addictions review (143/226, 63%), blood-borne virus screening (115/226, 51%), surgery (77/226, 34%) and OAT commencement (68/226, 30%). Aggression events (54/226, 15%) and unplanned discharge (69/226, 30%) complicated some admissions. Opioid use without OAT was associated with almost 3-fold increased odds of unplanned discharge compared to no opioid use (odds ratio 2.90, 95% confidence interval 1.23, 6.85, p = 0.015). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Comorbidities associated with IRI may be amenable to opportunistic intervention during hospitalisation. Further research is needed to develop optimal models of care for this vulnerable patient group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freya J. Langham
- Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Alfred Hospital and Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Stephanie J. Curtis
- Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Alfred Hospital and Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Mei Jie Tang
- Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Alfred Hospital and Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Bismi Jomon
- Data and AnalyticsThe Alfred HospitalMelbourneAustralia
| | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Alfred Hospital and Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Olga Vujovic
- Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Alfred Hospital and Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Andrew J. Stewardson
- Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Alfred Hospital and Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
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Howell J, Van H, Pham M, Sawhney R, Li F, Bhat P, Lubel J, Kemp W, Bloom S, Majumdar A, McCaughan G, Hall S, Spelman T, Doyle JS, Hellard M, Visvanathan K, Thompson AJ, Drummer HE, Anderson D. Validation of novel point-of-care test for alanine aminotransferase measurement: A pilot cohort study. Clin Liver Dis (Hoboken) 2022; 20:136-139. [PMID: 36245683 PMCID: PMC9549301 DOI: 10.1002/cld.1261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Howell
- Disease EliminationBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia,Department of GastroenterologySt Vincent's Hospital and University of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia,School of Epidemiology and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Huy Van
- Disease EliminationBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia
| | - Minh Pham
- Disease EliminationBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia,School of Epidemiology and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Rohit Sawhney
- Department of GastroenterologySt Vincent's Hospital and University of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia,Department of GastroenterologyEastern HealthMelbourneAustralia,Department of MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Fan Li
- Disease EliminationBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia
| | - Purnima Bhat
- Department of GastroenterologyCanberra HospitalCanberraAustralia
| | - John Lubel
- Central Clinical SchoolMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - William Kemp
- Central Clinical SchoolMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Stephen Bloom
- Department of GastroenterologyEastern HealthMelbourneAustralia,Department of MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Avik Majumdar
- Australian National Liver Transplant UnitRoyal Prince Alfred HospitalSydneyAustralia
| | - Geoff McCaughan
- Australian National Liver Transplant UnitRoyal Prince Alfred HospitalSydneyAustralia,Liver Injury and CancerCentenary InstituteSydneyAustralia
| | - Samuel Hall
- Department of GastroenterologySt Vincent's Hospital and University of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
| | | | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Disease EliminationBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia,School of Epidemiology and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Department of MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Department of Infectious DiseasesThe AlfredMelbourneAustralia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Disease EliminationBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia,School of Epidemiology and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Department of MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Department of Infectious DiseasesThe AlfredMelbourneAustralia
| | - Kumar Visvanathan
- Department of GastroenterologySt Vincent's Hospital and University of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
| | - Alexander J. Thompson
- Department of GastroenterologySt Vincent's Hospital and University of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
| | - Heidi E. Drummer
- Disease EliminationBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia,Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia,Department of MicrobiologyMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - David Anderson
- Disease EliminationBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia,School of Epidemiology and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
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Bartlett SR, Verich A, Carson J, Hosseini‐Hooshyar S, Read P, Baker D, Post JJ, Finlayson R, Bloch M, Doyle JS, Shaw D, Hellard M, Martinez M, Marks P, Dore GJ, Matthews GV, Applegate T, Martinello M. Patterns and correlates of hepatitis C virus phylogenetic clustering among people living with HIV in Australia in the direct‐acting antiviral era: A molecular epidemiology study among participants in the CEASE cohort. Health Sci Rep 2022; 5:e719. [PMID: 36000082 PMCID: PMC9388196 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims In moving towards the elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among people living with HIV, understanding HCV transmission patterns may provide insights to guide and evaluate interventions. In this study, we evaluated patterns of, and factors associated with HCV phylogenetic clustering among people living with HIV/HCV co‐infection in Australia in the direct‐acting antiviral era. Methods HCV RNA was extracted from dried blood spot (DBS) samples collected between 2014 and 2018 in the CEASE cohort study. The HCV Core‐E2 region was amplified by a polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequenced. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees (1000 bootstrap replicates) were used to identify patterns of clustering (3% genetic distance threshold). Mixed‐effects logistic regression was used to determine correlates of phylogenetic clustering. Factors assessed were sexual risk behavior, education, injecting drug use, housing, employment, HIV viral load, age, sex, and sexuality. Results Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed for HCV subtype 1a (n = 139) and 3a (n = 63) sequences, with 29% (58/202) in a pair or cluster. Overall (n = 202), phylogenetic clustering was positively associated with younger age (under 40; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20–5.29), and among gay and bisexual men (n = 168), was positively associated with younger age (aOR 2.61, 95% CI 1.10–6.19), higher education (aOR 2.58, 95% CI 1.09–6.13), and reporting high‐risk sexual behavior (aOR 3.94, 95% CI 1.31–11.84). During follow‐up, five reinfections were observed, but none were in phylogenetic clusters. Conclusion This study found a high proportion of phylogenetic relatedness, predominantly among younger people and gay and bisexual men reporting high‐risk sexual behavior. Despite this, few reinfections were observed, and reinfections demonstrated little relationship with known clusters. These findings highlight the importance of rapid HCV treatment initiation, together with monitoring of the phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia R. Bartlett
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Vancouver British Columbia Canada
- School of Population and Public Health University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada
| | - Andrey Verich
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Joanne Carson
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | | | - Phillip Read
- Kirketon Road Centre Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - David Baker
- East Sydney Doctors Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Jeffrey J. Post
- The Albion Centre Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases Prince of Wales Hospital Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Prince of Wales Clinical School University of New South Wales Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | | | - Mark Bloch
- Holdsworth House Medical Practice Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Department of Infectious Diseases Alfred Health & Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - David Shaw
- Royal Adelaide Hospital Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Department of Infectious Diseases Alfred Health & Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Maria Martinez
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Philippa Marks
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Gregory J. Dore
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
- St Vincent's Hospital Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Gail V. Matthews
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
- St Vincent's Hospital Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Tanya Applegate
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
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Schroeder SE, Bourne A, Doyle JS, Hellard ME, Stoové M, Pedrana A. Constructing a 'target population': A critical analysis of public health discourse on substance use among gay and bisexual men, 2000-2020. Int J Drug Policy 2022; 108:103808. [PMID: 35914477 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gay and bisexual men (GBM) have higher substance use prevalences than general population samples - often attributed to stigmatisation of sexual minority identities. We examined how influential public health research on substance use among GBM interprets this behaviour and what GBM-specific identities emerge through the discourses employed. METHODS We searched Web of Science for publications on substance use among GBM, selecting 60 of the most cited papers published during 2000-2020. We studied the language used to describe and interpret drug-using behaviour using critical discourse analysis, focusing on interpretive repertoires and subject positions. RESULTS Three distinct discursive tendencies were identified. First, in constructing a target population, GBM who use illicit drugs are positioned as deficient, socially irresponsible, and maladapted to dealing with stigmatisation and HIV risks. Second, in shifting the focus beyond the individual, the gay community is conceptualised as offering a safe space for socialisation. Nonetheless, gay community spaces are problematised as promoting substance use among vulnerable GBM through aggravating loneliness and normalising drug use as a form of maladaptive (avoidance) coping. Third, counterdiscursive movements add nuance, context, and comparisons that relativise rather than generalise substance use and focus on pleasure and self-determination. Such discourses centre the need for interventions that disrupt homophobic socio-structures instead of individualising approaches to limit non-conformity. CONCLUSION 'Expert' assessments of substance use among GBM perpetuate pathologising understandings of this behaviour and promote abject subject positions, contributing to perpetuations of intergroup stigma and social exclusion based on drug and sexual practices. Our findings highlight the need for deliberate and critical engagement with prior research and a conscious effort to disrupt dominant discourses on GBM's substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
- S E Schroeder
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia.
| | - A Bourne
- Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Australia
| | - J S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - M E Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - M Stoové
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia
| | - A Pedrana
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia
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30
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Attwood LO, McKechnie M, Vujovic O, Higgs P, Lloyd‐Jones M, Doyle JS, Stewardson AJ. Review of management priorities for invasive infections in people who inject drugs: highlighting the need for patient-centred multidisciplinary care. Med J Aust 2022; 217:102-109. [PMID: 35754144 PMCID: PMC9539935 DOI: 10.5694/mja2.51623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
There has been a global increase in the burden of invasive infections in people who inject drugs (PWID). It is essential that patient-centred multidisciplinary care is provided in the management of these infections to engage PWID in care and deliver evidence-based management and preventive strategies. The multidisciplinary team should include infectious diseases, addictions medicine (inclusive of alcohol and other drug services), surgery, psychiatry, pain specialists, pharmacy, nursing staff, social work and peer support workers (where available) to help address the comorbid conditions that may have contributed to the patient's presentation. PWID have a range of antimicrobial delivery options that can be tailored in a patient-centred manner and thus are not limited to prolonged hospital admissions to receive intravenous antimicrobials for invasive infections. These options include discharge with outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy, long-acting lipoglycopeptides (dalbavancin and oritavancin) and early oral antimicrobials. Open and respectful discussion with PWID including around harm reduction strategies may decrease the risk of repeat presentations with injecting-related harms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Olga Vujovic
- Alfred HealthMelbourneVIC
- Monash UniversityMelbourneVIC
| | - Peter Higgs
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVIC
- La Trobe UniversityMelbourneVIC
| | | | - Joseph S Doyle
- Alfred HealthMelbourneVIC
- Monash UniversityMelbourneVIC
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVIC
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31
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Traeger MW, van Santen DK, Sacks‐Davis R, Asselin J, Carter A, Doyle JS, Pedrana A, Wilkinson AL, Howell J, Thatcher R, Didlick J, Donovan B, Guy R, Hellard ME, Stoové MA. Impact of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on hepatitis C testing in Australian primary care services providing care for people who inject drugs. J Viral Hepat 2022; 29:908-918. [PMID: 35722739 PMCID: PMC9350356 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
In 2020, the Australian state of Victoria experienced the longest COVID-19 lockdowns of any jurisdiction, with two lockdowns starting in March and July, respectively. Lockdowns may impact progress towards eliminating hepatitis C through reductions in hepatitis C testing. To examine the impact of lockdowns on hepatitis C testing in Victoria, de-identified data were extracted from a network of 11 services that specialize in the care of people who inject drugs (PWID). Interrupted time-series analyses estimated weekly changes in hepatitis C antibody and RNA testing from 1 January 2019 to 14 May 2021 and described temporal changes in testing associated with lockdowns. Interruptions were defined at the weeks corresponding to the start of the first lockdown (week 14) and the start (week 80) and end (week 95) of the second lockdown. Pre-COVID, an average of 80.6 antibody and 25.7 RNA tests were performed each week. Following the first lockdown in Victoria, there was an immediate drop of 23.2 antibody tests and 8.6 RNA tests per week (equivalent to a 31% and 46% drop, respectively). Following the second lockdown, there was an immediate drop of 17.2 antibody tests and 4.6 RNA tests per week (equivalent to a 26% and 33% drop, respectively). With testing and case finding identified as a key challenge to Australia achieving hepatitis C elimination targets, the cumulative number of testing opportunities missed during lockdowns may prolong efforts to find, diagnose and engage or reengage in care of the remaining population of PWID living with hepatitis C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W. Traeger
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia,School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Daniela K. van Santen
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia,School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia,Department of Infectious Disease, Research and PreventionPublic Health Service of AmsterdamAmsterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Rachel Sacks‐Davis
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia,School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | | | - Allison Carter
- Kirby InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia,Faculty of Health SciencesSimon Fraser UniversityVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada,Australian Human Rights InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia,Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Alfred and Monash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Alisa Pedrana
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia,School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Anna L. Wilkinson
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia,School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Jessica Howell
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia,Department of GastroenterologySt Vincent's HospitalMelbourneVictoriaAustralia,Department of MedicineUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | | | - John Didlick
- Hepatitis AustraliaCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Basil Donovan
- Kirby InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia,Sydney Sexual Health CentreSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Rebecca Guy
- Kirby InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Margaret E. Hellard
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia,Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Alfred and Monash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia,Peter Doherty InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Mark A. Stoové
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia,School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
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Dawe J, Wilkinson AL, Asselin J, Carter A, Pedrana A, Traeger MW, Thomas AJ, Curtis M, Cooper M, Howell J, Doyle JS, Hellard ME, Stoové M. Hepatitis C antibody testing among opioid agonist therapy recipients, Victoria, Australia, 2012 to 2020. International Journal of Drug Policy 2022; 104:103696. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Byrne CJ, Radley A, Inglis SK, Beer L, Palmer N, Duc Pham M, Allardice K, Wang H, Robinson E, Hermansson M, Semizarov D, Healy B, Doyle JS, Dillon JF. Reaching people receiving opioid agonist therapy at community pharmacies with hepatitis C virus: an international randomised controlled trial. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2022; 55:1512-1523. [PMID: 35538396 DOI: 10.1111/apt.16953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conventional healthcare models struggle to engage those at risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This international study evaluated point-of-care (PoC) HCV RNA diagnostic outreach and direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for individuals receiving opioid agonist therapy (OAT) in community pharmacies. AIMS We assessed the effectiveness of a roving nurse-led pathway offering PoC HCV RNA testing to OAT clients in community pharmacies relative to conventional care. METHODS Pharmacies in Scotland, Wales, and Australia were randomised to provide PoC HCV RNA testing or conventional referral. Pharmacists directed OAT clients to on-site nurses (intervention) or local clinics (control). Infected participants were treated with DAAs, alongside OAT. Primary outcome was the number of participants with sustained virologic response at 12 weeks (SVR) and analysed using mixed effects logistic regression in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population. RESULTS Forty pharmacies were randomised. The ITT population contained 1410 OAT clients. In the conventional arm (n = 648), 62 (10%) agreed to testing, 17 (27%) were tested, 6 (35%) were positive and 5 (83%) initiated treatment. In the intervention arm (n = 762), 148 (19%) agreed to testing, 144 (97%) were tested, 23 (16%) were positive and 22 (96%) initiated treatment. SVR was obtained by 2 (40%; conventional) and 18 (82%; intervention). Intervention arm participants had higher odds of testing, OR 16.95 (7.07-40.64, p < 0.001); treatment, OR 4.29 (1.43-12.92, p = 0.010); and SVR, OR 8.64 (1.82-40.91, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS Nurse-led PoC diagnosis in pharmacies made HCV care more accessible for OAT clients relative to conventional care. However, strategies to improve testing uptake are required. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT03935906.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Byrne
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.,Tayside Clinical Trials Unit, School of Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Andrew Radley
- Directorate of Public Health, NHS Tayside, Kings Cross Hospital, Dundee, UK
| | - Sarah K Inglis
- Tayside Clinical Trials Unit, School of Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Lewis Beer
- Tayside Clinical Trials Unit, School of Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Nicki Palmer
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Cardiff, Public Health Wales, Cardiff, UK
| | - Minh Duc Pham
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kate Allardice
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Huan Wang
- Division of Population Health and Genomics, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Emma Robinson
- Department of Gastroenterology, NHS Tayside, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK
| | | | | | - Brendan Healy
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Cardiff, Public Health Wales, Cardiff, UK
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - John F Dillon
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.,Department of Gastroenterology, NHS Tayside, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK
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Carson JM, Hajarizadeh B, Hanson J, O'Beirne J, Iser D, Read P, Balcomb A, Davies J, Doyle JS, Yee J, Martinello M, Marks P, Matthews GV, Dore GJ. Retreatment for hepatitis C virus direct acting antiviral therapy virological failure in primary and tertiary settings: the REACH-C cohort. J Viral Hepat 2022; 29:661-676. [PMID: 35583922 PMCID: PMC9542502 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Virological failure occurs in a small proportion of people treated for hepatitis C virus (HCV) with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies. This study assessed retreatment for virological failure in a large real-world cohort. REACH-C is an Australian observational study (n=10843) evaluating treatment outcomes of sequential DAA initiations across 33 health services between March 2016 to June 2019. Virological failure retreatment data were collected until October 2020. Of 408 people with virological failure (81% male; median age 53; 38% cirrhosis; 56% genotype 3), 213 (54%) were retreated once; 15 were retreated twice. A range of genotype specific and pangenotypic DAAs were used to retreat virological failure in primary (n=56) and tertiary (n=157) settings. Following sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir availability in 2019, the proportion retreated in primary care increased from 21% to 40% and median time to retreatment initiation declined from 294 to 152 days. Per-protocol (PP) sustained virological response (SVR12) was similar for people retreated in primary and tertiary settings (80% vs 81%; p=1.000). In regression analysis, sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir (vs. other regimens) significantly decreased likelihood of second virological failure (PP SVR12 88% vs. 77%; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.29; 95%CI 0.11-0.81); cirrhosis increased likelihood (PP SVR12 69% vs. 91%; AOR 4.26; 95%CI 1.64-11.09). Indigenous Australians had lower likelihood of retreatment initiation (AOR 0.36; 95%CI 0.15-0.81). Treatment setting and prescriber type were not associated with retreatment initiation or outcome. Virological failure can be effectively retreated in primary care. Expanded access to simplified retreatment regimens through decentralised models may increase retreatment uptake and reduce HCV-related mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Josh Hanson
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health ServiceCairnsQueenslandAustralia
| | - James O'Beirne
- Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health ServiceSunshine CoastQueenslandAustralia
- University of the Sunshine CoastSunshine CoastQueenslandAustralia
| | - David Iser
- Scope GastroenterologyMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Phillip Read
- Kirketon Road CentreSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Anne Balcomb
- Prince Street MedicalOrangeNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Jane Davies
- Menzies School of Health ResearchDarwinNorthern TerritoryAustralia
- Royal Darwin HospitalDarwinNorthern TerritoryAustralia
| | - Joseph S. Doyle
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Infectious DiseasesThe Alfred and Monash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Jasmine Yee
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | | | - Philippa Marks
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Gail V. Matthews
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- St Vincent's HospitalSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Gregory J. Dore
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- St Vincent's HospitalSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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35
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Wade AJ, Doyle JS. Interventions to eliminate hepatitis C: which ones suit your community? Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 7:383-384. [PMID: 35303491 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-1253(22)00010-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Wade
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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36
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Howell J, Traeger MW, Williams B, Layton C, Doyle JS, Latham N, Draper B, Bramwell F, Membrey D, McPherson M, Roney J, Stoové M, Thompson AJ, Hellard ME, Pedrana A. The impact of point-of-care hepatitis C testing in needle and syringe exchange programs on linkage to care and treatment uptake among people who inject drugs: An Australian pilot study. J Viral Hepat 2022; 29:375-384. [PMID: 35274403 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Point-of-care (POC) diagnostics overcome barriers to conventional hepatitis C (HCV) testing in people who inject drugs. This study assessed impact on hepatitis C treatment uptake of POC HCV testing in needle and syringe exchange programs (NSPs). Rapid EC was a single-arm interventional pilot study of HCV POC testing conducted in three inner-city community clinics with NSPs. Twelve months after the POC testing, a retrospective medical record and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme audit was performed to determine the number of HCV RNA-positive participants who were prescribed HCV treatment. 70 HCV RNA-positive Rapid EC study participants were included. 44 (63%) were prescribed DAAs; 26 (59%) completed treatment and 15 (34%) had SVR testing, all of whom were cured. Age ≥ 40 years (aOR 3.45, 95% CI 1.10-11.05, p = .03) and secondary school education (aOR 5.8, 95% CI 1.54-21.80, p = .009) had higher likelihood of being prescribed DAAs, whereas homelessness was inversely associated with prescription of DAAs (aOR 0.30, 95% CI 0.09-1.04, p = .057). Median time to receive a DAA script from date of diagnosis was seven days (IQR 0 to 14 days), and time to filling the DAA prescription was 2 days (IQR 0-12 days). In conclusion, provision of POC testing through NSPs was effective for linking new clients to HCV treatment and reduced the time to treatment. Further studies are needed to define the most cost-effective use of POC testing in models of care for people who inject drugs to increase HCV treatment uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Howell
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael W Traeger
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bridget Williams
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chloe Layton
- Cohealth, General Practice, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ned Latham
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bridget Draper
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Dean Membrey
- Cohealth, General Practice, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Maggie McPherson
- North Richmond Community Health, General Practice, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Janine Roney
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark Stoové
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alexander J Thompson
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Margaret E Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Cohealth, General Practice, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Doherty Institute and School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alisa Pedrana
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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37
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Curtis SJ, Langham FJ, Tang MJ, Vujovic O, Doyle JS, Lau CL, Stewardson AJ. Hospitalisation with injection-related infections: Validation of diagnostic codes to monitor admission trends at a tertiary care hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2022; 41:1053-1061. [PMID: 35411617 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Injection-related infections (IRI) cause morbidity and mortality in people who inject drugs. Hospital administrative datasets can be used to describe hospitalisation trends, but there are no validated algorithms to identify injecting drug use and IRIs. We aimed to validate International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes to identify admissions with IRIs and use these codes to describe IRIs within our hospital. METHODS We developed a candidate set of ICD codes to identify current injecting drug use and IRI and extracted admissions satisfying both criteria. We then used manual chart review data from 1 January 2017 to 30 April 2019 to evaluate the performance of these codes and refine our algorithm by selecting codes with a high-positive predictive value (PPV). We used the refined algorithm to describe trends and outcomes of people who inject drugs with an IRI at Alfred Hospital, Melbourne from 2008 to 2020. RESULTS Current injecting drug use was best predicted by opioid-related disorders (F11), 80% (95% confidence interval [CI] 74-85%), and other stimulant-related disorders (F15), 82% (95% CI 70-90%). All PPVs were ≥67% to identify specific IRIs, and ≥84% for identifying any IRI. Using these codes over 12 years, IRIs increased from 138 to 249 per 100 000 admissions, and skin and soft tissues infections (SSTI) were the most common (797/1751, 46%). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Validated ICD-based algorithms can inform passive surveillance systems. Strategies to reduce hospitalisation with IRIs should be supported by early intervention and prevention, particularly for SSTIs which may represent delayed access to care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie J Curtis
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Freya J Langham
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mei Jie Tang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Olga Vujovic
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Colleen L Lau
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Andrew J Stewardson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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38
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Wilkinson AL, van Santen DK, Traeger MW, Sacks-Davis R, Asselin J, Scott N, Harney BL, Doyle JS, El-Hayek C, Howell J, Bramwell F, McManus H, Donovan B, Stoové M, Hellard M, Pedrana A. Hepatitis C incidence among patients attending primary care health services that specialise in the care of people who inject drugs, Victoria, Australia, 2009 to 2020. Int J Drug Policy 2022; 103:103655. [PMID: 35349964 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monitoring trends in hepatitis C virus (HCV) incidence is critical for evaluating strategies aimed at eliminating HCV as a public health threat. We estimate HCV incidence and assess trends in incidence over time among primary care patients. METHODS Data were routinely extracted, linked electronic medical records from 12 primary care health services. Patients included were aged ≥16 years, tested HCV antibody negative on their first test recorded and had at least one subsequent HCV antibody or RNA test (January 2009-December 2020). HCV incident infections were defined as a positive HCV antibody or RNA test. A generalised linear model assessed the association between HCV incidence and calendar year. RESULTS In total, 6711 patients contributed 17,098 HCV test records, 210 incident HCV infections and 19,566 person-years; incidence was 1.1 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.9 to 1.2). Among 559 (8.2%) patients ever prescribed opioid-related pharmacotherapy (ORP) during the observation period, 135 infections occurred during 2,082 person-years (incidence rate of 6.5 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 5.4 to 7.7)). HCV incidence declined 2009-2020 overall (incidence rate ratio per calendar year 0.8 (95% CI: 0.8 to 0.9) and among patients ever prescribed ORT (incidence rate ratio per calendar year 0.9, 95% CI: 0.75 to 1.0). CONCLUSION HCV incidence declined among patients at primary care health services including among patients ever prescribed ORP and during the period following increased access to DAA therapy. SUMMARY Among a retrospective cohort of ∼6,700 primary care health services patients, this study estimated a hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection incidence of 1.1 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval: 0.9 to 1.2). HCV infection incidence declined between 2009 and 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lee Wilkinson
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Daniela K van Santen
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Research and Prevention, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michael W Traeger
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rachel Sacks-Davis
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jason Asselin
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nick Scott
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Brendan L Harney
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Carol El-Hayek
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jessica Howell
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Mark Stoové
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Margaret 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 and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Doherty Institute and Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3000, Australia
| | - Alisa Pedrana
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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39
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Harney BL, Whitton B, Paige E, Brereton R, Weiss R, Membrey D, Wade AJ, Iser D, Kemp W, Roberts SK, Spelman T, Sacks-Davis R, Hellard ME, Doyle JS. A multi-site, nurse-coordinated hepatitis C model of care in primary care and community services in Melbourne, Australia. Liver Int 2022; 42:522-531. [PMID: 34821021 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment through primary care and community-based services will be a critical component of HCV elimination. We evaluated a nurse-coordinated programme providing care across eight sites and analysed progression through the HCV care cascade. METHODS People-accessing services from six primary care clinics, a homeless crisis accommodation provider and a mental health service were directly referred to nurses or engaged by nurses during regular clinic visits. Nurses supported HCV testing, treatment and follow-up. The prescription was provided by affiliated clinicians. Logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with treatment commencement and sustained virological response (SVR) testing. RESULTS Of 640 people referred to and/or engaged by the nurses from January 2017 to July 2019, 518 had an HCV RNA test of whom 381 (74%) were HCV RNA positive. Treatment was commenced by 281 (74%) people of whom 161 had an SVR test, 157 (97.5%) were cured. Opioid agonist therapy was associated with treatment commencement (aOR 2.68, 95% CI 1.48-4.88). People who were homeless/unstably housed were less likely to commence treatment (aOR 0.45, 95% CI 0.23-0.87). Treatment prescription from a specialist (aOR 2.39, 95% CI 1.20-4.74) and recent injection drug use (<6 months) (aOR 2.15, 95% CI 1.07-4.31) was associated with SVR testing. CONCLUSION A nurse-coordinated model of care led to high levels of HCV treatment uptake and cure amongst people attending primary care and community services. More tailored models of care may be beneficial for people who are homeless or have unstable housing. These results support primary care and community-based hepatitis C treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan L Harney
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health & Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bradley Whitton
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health & Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Emma Paige
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health & Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rebecca Brereton
- St Kilda Road Clinic & South City Clinic, Alfred Community Mental & Addiction Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | | | - Amanda J Wade
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia
| | - David Iser
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health & Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - William Kemp
- Department of Gastroenterology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Stuart K Roberts
- Department of Gastroenterology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Tim Spelman
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rachel Sacks-Davis
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Margaret E Hellard
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health & Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Doherty Institute and School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health & Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
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40
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Yee J, Carson JM, Hajarizadeh B, Hanson J, O'Beirne J, Iser D, Read P, Balcomb A, Doyle JS, Davies J, Martinello M, Marks P, Dore GJ, Matthews GV. High Effectiveness of Broad Access Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy for Hepatitis C in an Australian Real-World Cohort: The REACH-C Study. Hepatol Commun 2022; 6:496-512. [PMID: 34729957 PMCID: PMC8870316 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Australia was one of the first countries with unrestricted access to government subsidized direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy for adults with chronic hepatitis C virus. This study assessed real-world DAA treatment outcomes across a diverse range of Australian clinical services and evaluated factors associated with successful treatment and loss to follow-up. Real-world Effectiveness of Antiviral therapy in Chronic Hepatitis C (REACH-C) consisted a national observational cohort of 96 clinical services including specialist clinics and less traditional settings such as general practice. Data were obtained on consecutive individuals who commenced DAAs from March 2016 to June 2019. Effectiveness was assessed by sustained virological response ≥12 weeks following treatment (SVR) using intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses. Within REACH-C, 10,843 individuals initiated DAAs (male 69%; ≥50 years 52%; cirrhosis 22%). SVR data were available in 85% (9,174 of 10,843). SVR was 81% (8,750 of 10,843) by ITT and 95% (8,750 of 9,174) by PP. High SVR (≥92%) was observed across all service types and participant characteristics. Male gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.43-0.72), cirrhosis (aOR 0.52, 95% CI 0.41-0.64), recent injecting drug use (IDU; aOR 0.64, 95% CI 0.46-0.91) and previous DAA treatment (aOR 0.50, 95% CI 0.28-0.90) decreased the likelihood of achieving SVR. Multiple factors modified the likelihood of loss to follow-up including IDU ± opioid agonist therapy (OAT; IDU only: aOR 1.75, 95% CI 1.44-2.11; IDU + OAT: aOR 1.39, 95% CI 1.11-1.74; OAT only, aOR 1.36; 95% CI 1.13-1.68) and age (aOR 0.97, 95% CI 0.97-0.98). Conclusion: Treatment response was high in a diverse population and through a broad range of services following universal access to DAA therapy. Loss to follow-up presents a real-world challenge. Younger people who inject drugs were more likely to disengage from care, requiring innovative strategies to retain them in follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Yee
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW AustraliaSydneyNSWAustralia
| | | | | | - Joshua Hanson
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW AustraliaSydneyNSWAustralia.,Cairns HospitalCairnsQLDAustralia
| | - James O'Beirne
- Sunshine Coast University HospitalSunshine CoastQLDAustralia
| | - David Iser
- Scope GastroenterologyMelbourneVICAustralia
| | | | | | - Joseph S Doyle
- Burnet InstituteMelbourneVICAustralia.,The Alfred and Monash UniversityDepartment of Infectious DiseasesMelbourneVICAustralia
| | - Jane Davies
- Royal Darwin HospitalDarwinAustralia.,Menzies School of Health ResearchDarwinAustralia
| | - Marianne Martinello
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW AustraliaSydneyNSWAustralia.,Blacktown Mount Druitt HospitalBlacktownNSWAustralia.,St Vincent's HospitalSydneyNSWAustralia
| | | | - Gregory J Dore
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW AustraliaSydneyNSWAustralia.,St Vincent's HospitalSydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Gail V Matthews
- The Kirby InstituteUNSW AustraliaSydneyNSWAustralia.,St Vincent's HospitalSydneyNSWAustralia
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41
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Harney BL, Brereton R, Whitton B, Pietrzak D, Paige E, Roberts SK, Birks S, Saraf S, Hellard ME, Doyle JS. Letter in response: Psychiatrists can treat hepatitis C. J Viral Hepat 2021; 28:1765-1766. [PMID: 34582615 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brendan L Harney
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Burnet Institute, Disease Elimination Program, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Rebecca Brereton
- Alfred Community Mental & Addiction Health, St Kilda Road & Southcity Clinic, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Bradley Whitton
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Danusia Pietrzak
- Alfred Community Mental & Addiction Health, St Kilda Road & Southcity Clinic, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Emma Paige
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Stuart K Roberts
- Department of Gastroenterology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Susanne Birks
- Alfred Community Mental & Addiction Health, St Kilda Road & Southcity Clinic, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Sudeep Saraf
- Alfred Community Mental & Addiction Health, St Kilda Road & Southcity Clinic, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Margaret E Hellard
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Burnet Institute, Disease Elimination Program, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Burnet Institute, Disease Elimination Program, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
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42
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Palmer AY, Chan K, Gold J, Layton C, Elsum I, Hellard M, Stoove M, Doyle JS, Pedrana A, Scott N. A modelling analysis of financial incentives for hepatitis C testing and treatment uptake delivered through a community-based testing campaign. J Viral Hepat 2021; 28:1624-1634. [PMID: 34415639 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Financial incentives may reduce opportunity costs associated with people who become lost to follow-up in hepatitis C treatment programs. We estimated the impact that different financial incentive amounts would need to have on retention in care to maintain the same unit cost per (1) RNA-positive person completing testing (defined as awareness of RNA status) and (2) RNA diagnosed person initiating treatment. Costing data were obtained from a 2019 community-based testing campaign focused on engaging people who inject drugs. For different financial incentive amounts, we modelled the corresponding improvements in retention in care that would be needed to maintain the same overall (1) unit cost per testing completion and (2) unit cost per treatment initiation. In the testing campaign, the unit cost per RNA-positive person completing testing was A$3215 and the unit cost per RNA diagnosed person initiating treatment was A$1055. Modelling found that an incentive of A$500 per RNA-positive person completing testing would result in more people completing testing for the same unit cost if the percentage of attendees receiving their test results increased from 63% to 74%. An incentive of A$200 per RNA diagnosed person initiating treatment would result in more people initiating treatment for the same unit cost if the percentage initiating treatment increased from 67% to 83%. Monetary incentives for completing testing and initiating treatment may be an effective way to increase retention in care without increasing the overall unit cost of completing testing/initiating treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Y Palmer
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kico Chan
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Judy Gold
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chloe Layton
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Imogen Elsum
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark Stoove
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alisa Pedrana
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nick Scott
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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43
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Harney BL, Sacks-Davis R, van Santen DK, Traeger M, Wilkinson AL, Asselin J, El-Hayek C, Fairley CK, Roth N, Bloch M, Matthews G, Donovan B, Guy R, Stoové M, Hellard ME, Doyle JS. The Incidence of Hepatitis C Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men in Australia, 2009-2019. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 74:1804-1811. [PMID: 34698338 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been reported among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) globally including GBM with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HIV-negative GBM, particularly those using HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP). In Australia, HCV direct-acting antiviral treatment (DAA) was government-funded from 2016. Large implementation studies of PrEP also began in 2016. We examined HCV incidence among GBM to assess whether HCV incidence has changed since 2015. METHODS Data were drawn from the Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance. We included GBM who tested HCV antibody negative at their first test and had ≥1 subsequent test. Generalized linear modeling (Poisson distribution) was used to examine HCV incidence from 2009 to 2019 stratified by HIV status, and among HIV-negative GBM prescribed PrEP from 2016 to 2019. RESULTS Among 6744 GBM with HIV, HCV incidence was 1.03 per 100 person-years (PY). Incidence declined by 78% in 2019 compared to 2015 (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.22 [95% confidence interval {CI}: .09-.55]). Among 20 590 HIV-negative GBM, HCV incidence was 0.20/100 PY, with no significant change over time. Among 11 661 HIV-negative GBM prescribed PrEP, HCV incidence was 0.29/100 PY. Compared to 2016, incidence among GBM prescribed PrEP declined by 80% in 2019 (IRR, 0.20 [95% CI: .06-.64]). CONCLUSIONS HCV incidence among GBM living with HIV declined following DAA availability. There was no observed change in HCV incidence among HIV-negative GBM overall. Among GBM prescribed PrEP, incidence declined since the early years of PrEP implementation in Australia. Australia is on track to eliminate HCV among GBM before global 2030 targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan L Harney
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rachel Sacks-Davis
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Daniela K van Santen
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Michael Traeger
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Anna L Wilkinson
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jason Asselin
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Carol El-Hayek
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Christopher K Fairley
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.,Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Mark Bloch
- Holdsworth House Medical Practice, Sydney, Australia
| | - Gail Matthews
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Basil Donovan
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rebecca Guy
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mark Stoové
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 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, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Rashidzada Z, Cairns KA, Peel TN, Jenney AW, Doyle JS, Dooley MJ, Cheng AC. Early antimicrobial stewardship team intervention on appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy in suspected sepsis: a randomized controlled trial. JAC Antimicrob Resist 2021; 3:dlab097. [PMID: 34458731 PMCID: PMC8390781 DOI: 10.1093/jacamr/dlab097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives There has been concern that the imperative to administer rapid antimicrobials in septic patients may result in inappropriate antimicrobial use. We aimed to determine the impact of early antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) team intervention in patients with Medical Emergency Team (MET) calls for suspected sepsis. Methods We performed a randomized controlled trial of non-ICU inpatients who had a MET call for suspected sepsis. Patients were randomized to standard care (management of antimicrobial therapy by the treating team) or early targeted intervention (AMS review 48 h post-MET call). The primary outcome was appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy 72 h post-MET call, as determined by a panel of blinded infectious diseases physicians. Results In total, 90 patients were enrolled; 45 were randomly allocated to the intervention group, and 45 to the control group. More patients in the AMS intervention group were receiving appropriate antimicrobials 72 h following the MET call (67% versus 44%, P = 0.03). In the intervention group, 27 recommendations were made by the AMS team; 74% of recommendations were accepted, including 30% of cases where antimicrobials were discontinued or de-escalated. There were non-significant differences in total duration of antimicrobial therapy (8.7 versus 10.7 days, P = 0.39), sepsis-related ICU-admission rates (13% versus 18%, P = 0.56) and sepsis-related in-hospital mortality (7% versus 9%, P = 0.71) between intervention and control groups, respectively. Conclusions AMS team intervention resulted in significant improvement in appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy following MET calls due to suspected sepsis. Targeted AMS review should be implemented to support early antimicrobial de-escalation and optimization in patients with suspected sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohal Rashidzada
- Pharmacy Department, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.,Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kelly A Cairns
- Pharmacy Department, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Trisha N Peel
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Adam W Jenney
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Michael J Dooley
- Pharmacy Department, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.,Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Allen C Cheng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Public Health and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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45
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Goutzamanis S, Horyniak D, Doyle JS, Hellard M, Higgs P. Perceived physical health outcomes of direct-acting antiviral treatment for hepatitis C: a qualitative study. Harm Reduct J 2021; 18:73. [PMID: 34266434 PMCID: PMC8281623 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-021-00516-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Novel health promotion and treatment uptake initiatives will be necessary to ensure Australia meets 2030 hepatitis C elimination targets. Increasing treatment uptake will be assisted by a better understanding of the treatment experience and patient-perceived benefits. This study describes the perceived physical health benefits from direct-acting antiviral (DAA) hepatitis C treatment among people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia. Methods Twenty participants were recruited from a community treatment trial and community health clinics. Semi-structured interviews were performed with each participant before, during and following treatment. Interviews focused on treatment experiences, attitudes and motivations. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Results Two themes relating to the physical experience of treatment developed; intersection between physical and mental health and “maybe it’s working”. Participants reported various physical benefits, most prominently, reduced fatigue. Reductions in fatigue resulted in instant and meaningful changes in everyday life. Some participants did experience side effects, which they described as mild. Experiencing noticeable physical benefits during treatment was perceived as validation that treatment was working. Conclusion Physical health benefits of DAA treatment may have carry-on effects on cognitive, emotional or social wellbeing and should be incorporated into how treatment is promoted to those who require it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stelliana Goutzamanis
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. .,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
| | - Danielle Horyniak
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.,Behaviour and Health Risks Program, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Peter Higgs
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.,Department of Public Health, La Trobe University, Plenty Rd and Kingsbury Dr, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
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46
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Goutzamanis S, Spelman T, Harney B, Dietze P, Stoove M, Higgs P, Thompson A, Doyle JS, Hellard M. Patient-reported outcomes of the Treatment and Prevention Study: A real-world community-based trial of direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C among people who inject drugs. J Viral Hepat 2021; 28:1068-1077. [PMID: 33880820 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
The impact of hepatitis C cure with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in community settings remains unclear. We aimed to assess changes in PROs over time and whether treatment was associated with sustained improved PROs in a cohort of people who inject drugs. This study is a sub-analysis of the Treatment and Prevention Study, a nurse-led trial where people who inject drugs and their injecting partners were recruited in a community setting, in Melbourne, Australia. Three participant groups were characterized: treatment, untreated and non-viremic (hepatitis C RNA negative at screening). PROs included assessment of health-related quality of life using the Short Form-8 (SF-8) Survey and life satisfaction using Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI). PROs were measured at baseline and every 12 weeks until week 84. Generalized estimating equations were used to measure whether treatment was associated with longitudinal PRO change. A total of 215 participants were included in this analysis. PWI scores were significantly higher at week 12 for both treatment group (p = 0.0309) and non-viremic group (p = 0.0437) compared to baseline. However, treatment was not associated with longitudinal change in PRO scores. In conclusion, we found DAA treatment did not significantly improve PRO scores compared to those not receiving treatment and without hepatitis C. The measures used in this study may not be sensitive enough to capture the hepatitis C specific improvements in quality of life that treatment affords or factors other than treatment may be influencing quality of life scores in this cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stelliana Goutzamanis
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Timothy Spelman
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Brendan Harney
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Paul Dietze
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Mark Stoove
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Peter Higgs
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Vic., Australia
| | | | - Joseph S Doyle
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Vic., Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
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47
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O'Brien H, Di Rico R, Dean E, Smoker G, Lloyd-Jones M, McKechnie M, Dietze PM, Doyle JS. Screening for risky drinkers among hospitalised inpatients using the AUDIT: A feasibility, point prevalence and data linkage study. Drug Alcohol Rev 2021; 41:293-302. [PMID: 34184348 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Risky drinking frequently remains undiagnosed or untreated, including in hospitalised inpatients. Using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), we assessed the feasibility of screening for risky drinking and whether screening results aligned with alcohol-attributable diagnoses in an inpatient population. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey across a tertiary health service in Melbourne, Australia. Researchers collected demographics, AUDIT scores and acceptability from all eligible adult inpatients available on day of survey. Main outcomes were prevalence of risky drinking (AUDIT ≥8), mean AUDIT score and patient acceptability. Identification of risky drinking by the abbreviated 'AUDIT-C' or discharge diagnoses (extracted by data-linkage with medical records) was compared. RESULTS Of 473 eligible inpatients, 61% (n = 289) participated, 22% (n = 103) were unavailable and 17% (n = 81) declined. Median age was 64 years (IQR = 48, 76); 54% (n = 157) were male. Mean AUDIT score was 4.4 (SD = 5.5). Risky drinking prevalence was 20% (n = 57), 2% (n = 7) had scores suggestive of dependence (AUDIT ≥20, a subset of risky drinkers). Odds of risky drinking were reduced in females (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.09, 0.41; P < 0.001) and participants ≥70 years (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.07, 0.71; P = 0.01). Alcohol-attributable diagnoses did not consistently align with risky drinking, with half of inpatients with wholly attributable diagnoses classified as low risk. Most inpatients considered screening acceptable (89%, n = 256). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Pre-admission risky drinking was evident in one-fifth of hospital inpatients, but alcohol-attributable diagnoses were unreliable proxy measures of risky drinking. Screening in-patients with the AUDIT was acceptable to inpatients and can be feasibly implemented in an Australian tertiary hospital setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen O'Brien
- Program for Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rehana Di Rico
- Program for Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Epworth Monash Rehabilitation Medicine Unit, Epworth HealthCare, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Emma Dean
- Population Health, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.,Quit, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Gemma Smoker
- Population Health, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Martyn Lloyd-Jones
- Department of Mental and Addiction Health, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Megan McKechnie
- Department of Mental and Addiction Health, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Paul M Dietze
- Program for Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Program for Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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48
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Harney BL, Brereton R, Whitton B, Pietrzak D, Paige E, Roberts SK, Birks S, Saraf S, Hellard ME, Doyle JS. Hepatitis C treatment in a co-located mental health and alcohol and drug service using a nurse-led model of care. J Viral Hepat 2021; 28:771-778. [PMID: 33599036 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is more prevalent among people with experience of severe mental illness compared to the general population, due in part to higher levels of injecting drug use. Delivering HCV care through mental health services may reduce barriers to care and improve outcomes. A nurse-led HCV program was established in a co-located mental health and addiction service in Melbourne, Australia. People with a history of injecting drug use, including current use, were referred for HCV testing by nurses, with support provided on-site from a general practitioner and remotely from infectious disease and hepatology specialists. A nurse practitioner, general practitioner or specialists were able to prescribe HCV treatment. One-hundred and thirty people were referred to the nurse-led service, among whom 112 (86%) were engaged in care. Of those 112, 84 (75%) were found to have detectable HCV RNA, 70 (83%) commenced treatment; 28 (40%) prescriptions were nurse initiated, 19 (27%) were general practitioner initiated and 20 (29%) were prescribed from hospital clinics or elsewhere. All people with an SVR result (48/70) achieved HCV cure (intention to treat SVR 69%, per-protocol SVR 100%). Treatment commencement was highest among people prescribed opioid agonist therapy (28/29, 96%) compared to those who were not (18/26, 69%). In conclusion, a nurse-led, HCV service for people with severe mental illness including pathways to specialist support when needed can achieve high treatment uptake and cure. Further implementation work is required to improve treatment uptake, particularly among people not prescribed opioid agonist therapy, and to improve follow-up for SVR testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan L Harney
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.,Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Rebecca Brereton
- St Kilda Road & Southcity Clinic, Alfred Community Mental & Addiction Health, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Bradley Whitton
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Danusia Pietrzak
- St Kilda Road & Southcity Clinic, Alfred Community Mental & Addiction Health, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Emma Paige
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Stuart K Roberts
- Department of Gastroenterology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.,Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Susanne Birks
- St Kilda Road & Southcity Clinic, Alfred Community Mental & Addiction Health, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Sudeep Saraf
- St Kilda Road & Southcity Clinic, Alfred Community Mental & Addiction Health, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Margaret E Hellard
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.,Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.,Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
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Wade AJ, Doyle JS, Draper B, Howell J, Iser D, Roberts SK, Kemp W, Thompson AJ, Hellard ME. In support of community-based hepatitis C treatment with triage of people at risk of cirrhosis to specialist care. J Viral Hepat 2021; 28:217-218. [PMID: 32860312 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Wade
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Barwon Health, Geelong, Vic., Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Bridget Draper
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Jessica Howell
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - David Iser
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Stuart K Roberts
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Alfred, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - William Kemp
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Alfred, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Alexander J Thompson
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Margaret E Hellard
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Barwon Health, Geelong, Vic., Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
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50
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Gupta RK, Calderwood CJ, Yavlinsky A, Krutikov M, Quartagno M, Aichelburg MC, Altet N, Diel R, Dobler CC, Dominguez J, Doyle JS, Erkens C, Geis S, Haldar P, Hauri AM, Hermansen T, Johnston JC, Lange C, Lange B, van Leth F, Muñoz L, Roder C, Romanowski K, Roth D, Sester M, Sloot R, Sotgiu G, Woltmann G, Yoshiyama T, Zellweger JP, Zenner D, Aldridge RW, Copas A, Rangaka MX, Lipman M, Noursadeghi M, Abubakar I. Discovery and validation of a personalized risk predictor for incident tuberculosis in low transmission settings. Nat Med 2020; 26:1941-1949. [PMID: 33077958 PMCID: PMC7614810 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-1076-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The risk of tuberculosis (TB) is variable among individuals with latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (LTBI), but validated estimates of personalized risk are lacking. In pooled data from 18 systematically identified cohort studies from 20 countries, including 80,468 individuals tested for LTBI, 5-year cumulative incident TB risk among people with untreated LTBI was 15.6% (95% confidence interval (CI), 8.0-29.2%) among child contacts, 4.8% (95% CI, 3.0-7.7%) among adult contacts, 5.0% (95% CI, 1.6-14.5%) among migrants and 4.8% (95% CI, 1.5-14.3%) among immunocompromised groups. We confirmed highly variable estimates within risk groups, necessitating an individualized approach to risk stratification. Therefore, we developed a personalized risk predictor for incident TB (PERISKOPE-TB) that combines a quantitative measure of T cell sensitization and clinical covariates. Internal-external cross-validation of the model demonstrated a random effects meta-analysis C-statistic of 0.88 (95% CI, 0.82-0.93) for incident TB. In decision curve analysis, the model demonstrated clinical utility for targeting preventative treatment, compared to treating all, or no, people with LTBI. We challenge the current crude approach to TB risk estimation among people with LTBI in favor of our evidence-based and patient-centered method, in settings aiming for pre-elimination worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishi K Gupta
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Alexei Yavlinsky
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Maria Krutikov
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Matteo Quartagno
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Neus Altet
- Unitat de Tuberculosis, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron-Drassanes, Barcelona, Spain
- Unitat de TDO de la Tuberculosis 'Servicios Clínicos', Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roland Diel
- Institute for Epidemiology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
- Lung Clinic Grosshansdorf, Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Großhansdorf, Germany
| | - Claudia C Dobler
- Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jose Dominguez
- Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Connie Erkens
- KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, The Hague, The Netherlands
| | - Steffen Geis
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Pranabashis Haldar
- Respiratory Biomedical Research Centre, Institute for Lung Health, Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | | | - Thomas Hermansen
- International Reference Laboratory of Mycobacteriology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - James C Johnston
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christoph Lange
- Division of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Clinical Tuberculosis Center, Borstel, Germany
- Tuberculosis Network European Trials Group (TBnet), Borstel, Germany
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Berit Lange
- Department of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Frank van Leth
- Tuberculosis Network European Trials Group (TBnet), Borstel, Germany
- Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Global Health, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Laura Muñoz
- Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Christine Roder
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kamila Romanowski
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - David Roth
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Martina Sester
- Tuberculosis Network European Trials Group (TBnet), Borstel, Germany
- Department of Transplant and Infection Immunology, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Rosa Sloot
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Giovanni Sotgiu
- Tuberculosis Network European Trials Group (TBnet), Borstel, Germany
- Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, Uniiversity of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Gerrit Woltmann
- Respiratory Biomedical Research Centre, Institute for Lung Health, Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | | | - Jean-Pierre Zellweger
- Tuberculosis Network European Trials Group (TBnet), Borstel, Germany
- Swiss Lung Association, Berne, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Zenner
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Robert W Aldridge
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Copas
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Molebogeng X Rangaka
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, London, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Marc Lipman
- UCL-TB and UCL Respiratory, University College London, London, UK
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Ibrahim Abubakar
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK.
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