HCV prevalence and treatment outcomes among drug users in an outpatient center for drug addiction in Northern Italy

Introduction: We aimed at evaluating hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence and treatment referral outcomes in a large population of drug users in Northern Italy. Material and methods: Each participant underwent a quick capillary blood test. Positive participants underwent HCV RNA quantification. HCV RNA positive subjects were referred to treatment and evaluated immediately at the end of treatment and at 3 and 6 months after treatment. Results: Of the 636 participants tested, 244 were positive. Intravenous drug use was more frequent among subjects who tested positive for HCV antibodies (99%). Among subjects who tested positive, 68% were HCV-RNA positive while 32% were negative. Among people referred to treatment, nearly 30% did not show up while 70% completed the treatment with success. Over 99% of people who started direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA) have a sustained response. Discussion: We observed a significant higher prevalence of HCV positive subjects among people who inject drugs (99%) and we observed a high success rate for HCV treatment engagement. Conclusions: Rapid testing for HCV represents a potential tool for HCV screening among high-risk groups.