Hepatitis C Virus Transmission Clusters in Public Health and Correctional Settings, Wisconsin, USA, 2016-2017

Ending the hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic requires stopping transmission among networks of persons who inject drugs. Identifying transmission networks by using genomic epidemiology may inform community responses that can quickly interrupt transmission. We retrospectively identified HCV RNA–positiv...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Emerging infectious diseases 2021-02, Vol.27 (2), p.480-489
Main Authors: Hochstatter, Karli R, Tully, Damien C, Power, Karen A, Koepke, Ruth, Akhtar, Wajiha Z, Prieve, Audrey F, Whyte, Thomas, Bean, David J, Seal, David W, Allen, Todd M, Westergaard, Ryan P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Care and treatment
Complications and side effects
Development and progression
Drug use
Epidemics
Epidemiology
global hepatitis outbreak surveillance technology
Hepatitis
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C virus
Infectious diseases
injection drug use
Intravenous drug abuse
Medical laboratories
Medical research
Medicine, Experimental
Methods
molecular epidemiology
Narcotics
Phylogenetics
Prevalence studies (Epidemiology)
Public health
Quality control
Rural areas
Rural populations
viruses
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Ending the hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic requires stopping transmission among networks of persons who inject drugs. Identifying transmission networks by using genomic epidemiology may inform community responses that can quickly interrupt transmission. We retrospectively identified HCV RNA–positive specimens corresponding to 459 persons in settings that use the state laboratory, including correctional facilities and syringe services programs, in Wisconsin, USA, during 2016–2017. We conducted next-generation sequencing of HCV and analyzed it for phylogenetic linkage by using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Global Hepatitis Outbreak Surveillance Technology platform. Analysis showed that 126 persons were linked across 42 clusters. Phylogenetic clustering was higher in rural communities and associated with female sex and younger age among rural residents. These data highlight that HCV transmission could be reduced by expanding molecular-based surveillance strategies to rural communities affected by the opioid crisis.
ISSN:1080-6040
1080-6059
DOI:10.3201/eid2702.202957