Leveraging corona virus disease 2019 vaccination to promote hepatitis C screening.
Hepatol Commun
; 2022 Nov 03.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2285206
ABSTRACT
Health care initiatives, such as hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening, have been greatly overshadowed by the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, COVID-19 vaccination programs also provide an opportunity to engage with a high volume of people in a health care setting. We collaborated with a large COVID vaccination center to offer HCV point-of-care testing followed by dried blood spot collection for HCV RNA. Additionally, this opportunity was used to evaluate the practical significance of a 5-minute version of the OraQuick HCV antibody test in lieu of the standard 20-minute test. We tested 2317 individuals; 31 were HCV antibody positive and six were RNA positive of which four were treated and reached sustained virological response. Over a third of those surveyed said they would not have participated had the test required 20 minutes. Conclusion:
Colocalizing HCV testing and linkage to care at a COVID vaccination clinic was found to be highly feasible; furthermore, a shortened antibody test greatly improves the acceptance of testing.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
Topics:
Vaccines
Language:
English
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Hep4.2101
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS