Hepatitis C infection among drug users attending general practice

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant concern among individuals who inject drugs.
• General practitioners (GPs) in Ireland are increasingly involved in providing addiction-related care.
• High HCV prevalence necessitates effective screening strategies within primary care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of HCV infection among injecting drug users receiving care in general practices.
• To identify factors associated with HCV infection in this patient population.
• To assess the current HCV testing practices within general practices for patients on methadone maintenance treatment.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of patient records was conducted for 571 individuals attending 42 general practices.
• Patients were enrolled in methadone maintenance treatment programs within the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) area.
• Data on HCV status, testing history, and sources of information were extracted from patient records.

Main Results:

• HCV status was recorded for 67% of the reviewed patient records (380 cases).
• A high prevalence of HCV infection was found, with 73% (276 cases) testing positive.
• Injecting drug use history was the primary factor influencing HCV testing, with no significant difference in prevalence based on the source of HCV status information.

Conclusions:

• A substantial proportion of patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment in general practice are HCV positive.
• Despite high prevalence, a considerable number of these patients have not undergone HCV testing.
• Barriers to comprehensive HCV screening in this population require further investigation to improve testing rates.