Hepatitis C Virus Infection Preceding an Outbreak of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Among Persons Who Inject Drugs-Kanawha County, West Virginia, 2019-2021

Alana G Hudson; Robert A Bonacci; Anne C Moorman; McKenna Penley; Suzanne M Wilson; Jessica L Hoffman; Erica R Thomasson; R Paul McClung; Danae Bixler

doi:10.1093/cid/ciac619

Hepatitis C Virus Infection Preceding an Outbreak of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Among Persons Who Inject Drugs-Kanawha County, West Virginia, 2019-2021

Clin Infect Dis. 2023 Feb 8;76(3):e752-e754. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciac619.

Authors

Alana G Hudson¹, Robert A Bonacci^{2

3}, Anne C Moorman⁴, McKenna Penley^{3

5}, Suzanne M Wilson¹, Jessica L Hoffman¹, Erica R Thomasson^{1

6}, R Paul McClung³, Danae Bixler⁴

Affiliations

¹ West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Charleston, West Virginia, USA.
² Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
³ Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
⁴ Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
⁵ Public Sector, ICF International, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
⁶ Division of State and Local Readiness, Center for Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Abstract

Of 65 cases during a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) outbreak among persons who inject drugs (PWID) in West Virginia (2019-2021), 61 (94%) had hepatitis C diagnosed a median of 46 months prior to HIV diagnosis. Hepatitis C diagnosis among PWID should trigger improved access to prevention and treatment services.

Keywords: epidemiology; hepatitis C; human immunodeficiency virus; outbreak; prevention.

Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America 2022.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Disease Outbreaks
Drug Users*
HIV
HIV Infections* / complications
HIV Infections* / diagnosis
HIV Infections* / epidemiology
Hepacivirus
Hepatitis C* / epidemiology
Humans
Substance Abuse, Intravenous* / complications
Substance Abuse, Intravenous* / epidemiology
West Virginia / epidemiology

Grants and funding

CC999999/ImCDC/Intramural CDC HHS/United States