-
Views
-
Cite
Cite
Curt G. Beckwith, Sarah Larney, Timothy P. Flanigan, Editorial Commentary: Hepatitis C Virus Testing and Drug Use in North America; Is There More Than Meets the Eye?, Clinical Infectious Diseases, Volume 58, Issue 6, 15 March 2014, Pages 762–764, https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/cit941
Close - Share Icon Share
Extract
(See the Major Article by Bruneau et al on pages 755–61.)
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic is a major public health challenge in North America. An estimated 5–7 million persons are infected with HCV, which is causing an escalating amount of morbidity and mortality due to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma [1–3]. In 2007, it was estimated that the death rate from HCV infection exceeded that of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the United States for the first time [4]. Drug users, particularly people who inject drugs (PWID), have been heavily impacted by HCV infection and continue to experience incident infections. Efforts to decrease HCV among PWID have included educational and behavioral interventions, needle and syringe exchange programs, legalized syringe purchase, supervised injection venues, and substance abuse treatment including opiate replacement therapy [5]; however, these strategies have not been uniformly delivered or accessible. In fact, there have been recent reports of HCV outbreaks among young drug users who are transitioning from use of prescription opiates to injecting heroin [6–8], revealing the urgent need to implement comprehensive prevention measures [9].
