The seroprevalence of untreated chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and associated risk factors in male Irish prisoners: a cross-sectional study, 2017.

ABSTRACT: IntroductionData on chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection prevalence in European prisons are incomplete and impact the public health opportunity that incarceration provides.AimsWe aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of untreated chronic HCV infection and to identify associated risk factors in an Irish male prison.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study involving a researcher-administered questionnaire, review of medical records and HCV serology.ResultsOf 422 prisoners (78.0% of the study population) who participated in the study, 298 (70.6%) completed the questionnaire and 403 (95.5%) were tested for HCV antibodies. Of those tested, 92 (22.8%) were HCV antibody-positive, and of those, 53 (57.6%) were HCV RNA-positive, 23 (25.0%) had spontaneous clearance, 16 (17.4%) had a sustained vira

SUBMITTER: Crowley D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6462789 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature