Advancing Hepatitis C Elimination Through Opt-Out Universal Screening and Treatment in Carceral Settings, United States

Overview

Journal Emerg Infect Dis

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2024 Apr 2

PMID 38561831

Authors

Maeve McNamara

Nathan Furukawa

Emily J Cartwright

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Incarcerated persons are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) at rates ≈10 times higher than that of the general population in the United States. To achieve national hepatitis C elimination goals, the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C in incarcerated persons must be prioritized. In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that all persons receive opt-out HCV screening upon entry into a carceral setting. We review recommendations, treatments, and policy strategies used to promote HCV opt-out universal HCV screening and treatment in incarcerated populations in the United States. Treatment of hepatitis C in carceral settings has increased but varies by jurisdiction and is not sufficient to achieve HCV elimination. Strengthening universal HCV screening and treatment of HCV-infected incarcerated persons is necessary for HCV elimination nationwide.

Citing Articles

Building a Low-Threshold Model for HCV Diagnosis and Treatment Among Formerly Incarcerated Patients in Alabama.

Hayden M, Kishore S, Bradford D, Dedona M, Hunter M, Luck M J Gen Intern Med. 2025; .

PMID: 39939496 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-025-09411-y.

Feasibility of implementing viral hepatitis services into a correctional service facility in Cape Town, South Africa.

Scheibe A, Steingo J, Grace G, Savva H, Sonderup M, Hausler H Int J Drug Policy. 2025; 137:104710.

PMID: 39855009 PMC: 11892007. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104710.

Carceral Health is Public Health.

Hagan L, Mosites E, Hughes-Baker L, Butler J Emerg Infect Dis. 2024; 30(13):S1-S4.

PMID: 38561635 PMC: 10986829. DOI: 10.3201/eid3013.240258.

References

Spaulding A, Weinbaum C, Lau D, Sterling R, Seeff L, Margolis H . A framework for management of hepatitis C in prisons. Ann Intern Med. 2006; 144(10):762-9. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-144-10-200605160-00010. View

Assoumou S, Tasillo A, Vellozzi C, Yazdi G, Wang J, Nolen S . Cost-effectiveness and Budgetary Impact of Hepatitis C Virus Testing, Treatment, and Linkage to Care in US Prisons. Clin Infect Dis. 2019; 70(7):1388-1396. PMC: 7318776. DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciz383. View

Seifert L, Perumpail R, Ahmed A . Update on hepatitis C: Direct-acting antivirals. World J Hepatol. 2015; 7(28):2829-33. PMC: 4670954. DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v7.i28.2829. View

He T, Li K, Roberts M, Spaulding A, Ayer T, Grefenstette J . Prevention of Hepatitis C by Screening and Treatment in U.S. Prisons. Ann Intern Med. 2015; 164(2):84-92. PMC: 4854298. DOI: 10.7326/M15-0617. View

Schoenbachler B, Smith B, Sena A, Hilton A, Bachman S, Lunda M . Hepatitis C Virus Testing and Linkage to Care in North Carolina and South Carolina Jails, 2012-2014. Public Health Rep. 2016; 131 Suppl 2:98-104. PMC: 4853335. DOI: 10.1177/00333549161310S215. View

Assoumou S, Wang J, Tasillo A, Yazdi G, Tsui J, Strick L . Hepatitis C Testing and Patient Characteristics in Washington State's Prisons Between 2012 and 2016. Am J Prev Med. 2018; 56(1):8-16. PMC: 6312183. DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2018.08.016. View

Arora S, Thornton K, Jenkusky S, Parish B, Scaletti J . Project ECHO: linking university specialists with rural and prison-based clinicians to improve care for people with chronic hepatitis C in New Mexico. Public Health Rep. 2007; 122 Suppl 2:74-7. PMC: 1831800. DOI: 10.1177/00333549071220S214. View

Moazen B, Moghaddam S, Silbernagl M, Lotfizadeh M, Bosworth R, Alammehrjerdi Z . Prevalence of Drug Injection, Sexual Activity, Tattooing, and Piercing Among Prison Inmates. Epidemiol Rev. 2018; 40(1):58-69. DOI: 10.1093/epirev/mxy002. View

Schillie S, Wester C, Osborne M, Wesolowski L, Ryerson A . CDC Recommendations for Hepatitis C Screening Among Adults - United States, 2020. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2020; 69(2):1-17. PMC: 7147910. DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.rr6902a1. View

10.

Bhattacharya D, Aronsohn A, Price J, Re V . Hepatitis C Guidance 2023 Update: AASLD-IDSA Recommendations for Testing, Managing, and Treating Hepatitis C Virus Infection. Clin Infect Dis. 2023; . DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad319. View

11.

Spaulding A, Kennedy S, Osei J, Sidibeh E, Batina I, Chhatwal J . Estimates of Hepatitis C Seroprevalence and Viremia in State Prison Populations in the United States. J Infect Dis. 2023; 228(Suppl 3):S160-S167. PMC: 11491819. DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad227. View

12.

Afdhal N, Zeuzem S, Kwo P, Chojkier M, Gitlin N, Puoti M . Ledipasvir and sofosbuvir for untreated HCV genotype 1 infection. N Engl J Med. 2014; 370(20):1889-98. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1402454. View

13.

Gidwani-Marszowski R, Owens D, Lo J, Goldhaber-Fiebert J, Asch S, Barnett P . The Costs of Hepatitis C by Liver Disease Stage: Estimates from the Veterans Health Administration. Appl Health Econ Health Policy. 2019; 17(4):513-521. DOI: 10.1007/s40258-019-00468-5. View

14.

Greenwald R, Waters P, Cayer S . Enforcement of Legal Remedies to Secure Hepatitis C Virus Treatment With Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapies in Correctional Facilities and Medicaid Programs. Public Health Rep. 2020; 135(1_suppl):44S-49S. PMC: 7407058. DOI: 10.1177/0033354920904608. View

15.

DAmbrosio R, Degasperi E, Anolli M, Fanetti I, Borghi M, Soffredini R . Incidence of liver- and non-liver-related outcomes in patients with HCV-cirrhosis after SVR. J Hepatol. 2021; 76(2):302-310. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.09.013. View

16.

Genberg B, Astemborski J, Vlahov D, Kirk G, Mehta S . Incarceration and injection drug use in Baltimore, Maryland. Addiction. 2015; 110(7):1152-9. PMC: 4478154. DOI: 10.1111/add.12938. View

17.

Fleurence R, Collins F . A National Hepatitis C Elimination Program in the United States: A Historic Opportunity. JAMA. 2023; 329(15):1251-1252. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2023.3692. View

18.

Chan J, Kaba F, Schwartz J, Bocour A, Akiyama M, Rosner Z . The hepatitis C virus care cascade in the New York City jail system during the direct acting antiviral treatment era, 2014-2017. EClinicalMedicine. 2020; 27:100567. PMC: 7599312. DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100567. View

19.

Winter R, Holmes J, Papaluca T, Thompson A . The Importance of Prisons in Achieving Hepatitis C Elimination: Insights from the Australian Experience. Viruses. 2022; 14(3). PMC: 8949789. DOI: 10.3390/v14030497. View

20.

Lewis K, Barker L, Jiles R, Gupta N . Estimated Prevalence and Awareness of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among US Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, January 2017-March 2020. Clin Infect Dis. 2023; 77(10):1413-1415. PMC: 11000503. DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad411. View