Hepatitis C virus (HCV): prevalence in a gynecological urgent care clinic population

To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among women seeking urgent gynecological care.

Women were asked to complete a short self-assessment screening of HCV risk. Those answering yes to any of the screening questions were offered HCV testing and were asked to complete a more detailed questionnaire.

Among the 125 women who completed the screening questionnaire, 80% (100) answered yes to one or more of the screening questions. Of the 99 women who underwent testing, six (6.1%) were HCV seropositive; a history of injection drug use was the only finding associated with HCV seropositivity (R.R 9.7: 95% CI 1.90-49.40).

Women seeking urgent outpatient gynecological care, particularly those who are injection drug users, are at a substantial risk of HCV infection. A careful risk assessment should be completed in order to identify women who should be offered HCV testing.