Using a surveillance system to identify and treat newly acquired hepatitis C

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Using a surveillance system to identify and treat newly acquired hepatitis C

infection

Authors: Walsh, Nick; Lim, ; Hellard, Margaret

Source: Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Volume 23, Number 12,

December 2008 , pp. 1891-1894(4)

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing

Abstract:

Background and Aim: 

Hepatitis C treatment uptake in Australia is low. We describe the rate of acute

hepatitis C treatment in the Australian state of by linking the

centralized passive notifications system for hepatitis C with the Australian

Trial in Acute Hepatitis C (ATAHC), a nationwide clinical trial aimed at

providing people with newly acquired hepatitis C with 24 weeks' pegylated

interferon monotherapy.

Methods: 

Mandatory notifications of clinical or laboratory evidence of hepatitis C were

further investigated for evidence of newly acquired infection. Followed-up

individuals were then screened for eligibility for the ATAHC study (which

included documented hepatitis C antibody positivity within the previous 6

months) and offered acute hepatitis C treatment if this was the case. We

examined the first 18 months of the recruitment.

Results: 

A total of 4591 hepatitis C cases were notified with 414 (9%) of these flagged

as being potentially newly acquired. Through follow-up of doctors and patients,

160 of these were confirmed as newly acquired; 87 of these 160 (54%) were

potentially eligible for ATAHC and were referred to ATAHC researchers. Fourteen

(16%) were successfully enrolled in ATAHC. Eight individuals commenced acute

hepatitis C treatment during this period.

Conclusion: 

The use of hepatitis C surveillance system has been successful in identifying

cases of newly acquired hepatitis C which are often difficult to identify in a

clinical setting. In addition, marginalized patients who may otherwise never

have been referred to a clinic are able to access hepatitis C treatment and

specialist services. Despite this, only eight out of 87 eligible individuals

(9%) began acute hepatitis C treatment.

Keywords: hepatitis C virus (HCV); injecting drug use (IDU); intravenous;

population surveillance; public health surveillance; substance abuse

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2008.05508.x