Evaluation of hepatitis C treatment-as-prevention within Australian prisons (SToP-C): a prospective cohort study

The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Fecha de publicación: 6 de mayo de 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-1253(21)00077-7

Autores: Behzad Hajarizadeh, PhD, Prof Jason Grebely, PhD, Marianne Byrne, MPH, Pip Marks, MPH, Prof Janaki Amin, PhD, Hamish McManus, PhD, Prof Tony Butler, PhD, Evan B Cunningham, PhD, Prof Peter Vickerman, PhD, Natasha K Martin, PhD, John G McHutchison, MD, Diana M Brainard, MD, Prof Carla Treloar, PhD, Prof Georgina M Chambers, PhD, Luke Grant, MSc, Colette Mcgrath, MSc, Prof Andrew R Lloyd, PhD, Prof Gregory J Dore, PhD

Background: Limited empirical evidence exists for the effectiveness of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment-as-prevention. The Surveillance and Treatment of Prisoners with hepatitis C (SToP-C) study aimed to assess the effect of HCV treatment-as-prevention in the prison setting. Methods: SToP-C was a prospective study, including a before-and-after analysis, within a cohort of people incarcerated in two maximum-security prisons (male) and two medium-security prisons (one male, one female) in New South Wales, Australia. All prison inmates aged at least 18 years were eligible for enrolment. After HCV testing, participants were monitored for risk behaviours and HCV infection, among three sub-populations: uninfected (HCV antibody-negative); previously infected (HCV antibody-positive, HCV RNA-negative); and infected (HCV antibody and HCV RNA-positive). Uninfected participants were followed up every 3–6 months to detect HCV primary infection and previously infected participants were followed up every 3–6 months to detect re-infection.

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