Publications: Hepatitis

Introducing hepatitis C virus healthcare pathways in addiction care in the Netherlands with a Breakthrough project: a mixed method study (pdf)

People who inject drugs (PWID) are disproportionally affected by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In the Netherlands, active HCV transmission in PWID has practically been halted but uptake of HCV testing and linkage to care remains insufficient in this risk group. A national HCV in Addiction Care (HAC) quality improvement project based on the Breakthrough methodology (i.e. Breakthrough project) aimed to secure proper linkage to care in PWID by introducing local HCV healthcare screening and treatment pathways in addiction care units.

The HAC Breakthrough project has brought about good quality HCV healthcare pathways in the majority of participating addiction care centers and has successfully linked PWID with ongoing HCV viremia to care. Uptake of HCV screening and treatment after referral were identified as the main gaps to be closed in the HCV cascade of care to achieve final HCV elimination in Dutch PWID (i.e. micro-elimination).

Hepatitis C - good practice Examples (pdf)

2019

Correlation - European Harm Reduction Network

Hepatitis C - good practice Examples

In 2018, C-EHRN collected the experiences of 90 organisations from all over Europe related to their viral Hepatitis C activities.

The examples presented here were chosen by a review committee based on a questionnaire and an interview conducted by C-EHRN with selected respondents. This selection does not aim to put forward a ‘gold standard’ for harm reduction service providers in Europe, nor is it an inclusive sample of existing models.

It does provide, however, an insight into how organisations offering harm reduction services respond to the threat of viral hepatitis C in different settings, with different resources and in different legal and political contexts.

EASL Recommendations on Treatment of Hepatitis C (pdf)

2018

(European Association for the Study of the Liver)

EASL Recommendations on Treatment of Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of chronic liver disease, with approximately 71 million chronically infected individuals worldwide. Clinical care for patients with HCV-related liver disease has advanced considerably thanks to an enhanced understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease, and because of developments in diagnostic procedures and improvements in therapy and prevention. These European Association for the Study of the Liver Recommendations on Treatment of Hepatitis C describe the optimal management of
patients with acute and chronic HCV infections in 2018 and onwards.

2017

(European Association for the Study of the Liver)

EASL 2017 Clinical Practice Guidelines on the management of hepatitis B virus infection

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a global public health problem with changing epidemiology due to several factors including vaccination policies and migration. This Clinical Practice Guideline presents updated recommendations for the optimal management of HBV infection.

Hepatitis C infection, related services, and barriers to HCV treatment among drug users in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clinics in Shanghai, China (pdf)

2017

Harm Reduction Journal

Hepatitis C infection, related services, and barriers to HCV treatment among drug users in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clinics in Shanghai, China

The purpose of this study was to document the prevalence of hepatitis C among MMT patients, hepatitis C virus (HCV) knowledge of patients and MMT staff members, and the barriers preventing them from receiving or delivering HCV-related services in MMT clinics of China.