231316 Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus infection among persons who inject drug in 4 cities, US, 2009

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 : 9:20 AM - 9:35 AM

Eyasu Teshale, MD , Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta
Bryce Smith, PhD , Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Elizabeth DiNenno, PhD , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Jian Xing, PhD , Division of Viral Hepatitis, CDC, Atlanta, GA
Amy Jewett , Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA
Samuel Jenness, MPH , HIV Epidemiology Program, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY
Alan Neaigus, PhD , HIV Epidemiology Program, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY
Sharon Melville, MD, MPH , HIV/STD Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, TX
Hanne Thiede, DVM, MPH , HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Program, Public Health- Seattle and King County, Seattle, WA
Richard Burt , HEI/AIDS Epidemiology Program, Public Health, Seattle and King County, Seattle, WA
Alia Al-Tayyib, PhD, MSPH , STD/HIV Prevention and Control, Denver Public Health, Denver, CO
Praveen R. Pannala, MD, MPH , TB/HIV/STD Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, TX
Isa Williams Miles, ScD, MS , Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Alexandra Oster, MD , Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Amanda Smith, MPH , Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, CDC, Atlanta, GA
Teresa Finlayson, PhD , Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Kristina Bowles , Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, CDC, Atlanta, GA
HCV infection is a common blood borne infection with an estimated 4 million persons infected in the US. Prevalence of HCV infection in persons who inject drugs can reach up to 90% depending on duration and frequency of injection and injection-related behaviors. In 2009, we conducted a serological survey in 4 US cities to determine the prevalence and correlates of HCV infection among persons who report injecting drugs in the past 12 months. The study examined data from 4 cities (NYC, Dallas, Denver, and Seattle) that participated in the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System. Participants were recruited using Respondent Driven Sampling. In addition to behavioral risk factor survey data, testing for HIV and HCV was conducted. Of the 1714 persons who had an HCV test the prevalence of HCV infection was 78.4% (Seattle (72.8%), Denver (73.0%), NYC (75.5%), and Dallas (89.1%). The characteristics of the population, prevalence of injection-related behaviors, and HCV infection prevalence by such characteristics will be presented in detail. Prevalence of behaviors associated with HCV transmission and prevalence of HCV infection continue to be a significant problem among persons who inject drugs.

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to describe the epidemiology of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the United States. Participants will be able to identify the risk of HCV infection among persons who inject drugs. Participants will be able to identify screening efforts for HCV infection in the United States, evaluate the use of newly developed rapid HCV antibody screening tests, and assess local HCV screening through program integration efforts.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I participated in the design, conduct of study and analysis of data.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.