Addressing Chronic HCV in People Who Inject Drugs and Inmates Is Necessary to Achieve HCV Elimination

AbstractPurpose of ReviewDirect-acting antivirals (DAA) have revolutionized the field of hepatitis C in the last decade; however, significant challenges remain in eliminating the disease specifically among difficult-to-reach populations. This paper reviews the barriers to viral elimination with a specific emphasis on people who inject drugs and incarcerated patients.Recent FindingsPeople who inject drugs face challenges at every stage of the “cascade of care”—screening, diagnosis, accessing medications, and completing treatment. Despite this, evidence suggests that treatment of these high-risk groups is essential to the elimination of the virus in the population.SummaryAlthough DAAs have very high efficacy, their effectiveness at eliminating the virus will be limited without special attention to people who inject drugs. Addressing these challenges in people who inject drugs might best be achieved through proactive programs for incarcerated patients.
Source: Current Hepatitis Reports - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research