Abstracts of the 2022 Annual Meeting of the ALEH
More infoBy the finally of the WHO Strategy for the control and elimination of Chronic Viral Hepatitis Type C (HCV) by 2030, persons deprived of their liberty (PPL) are a key population due to the high prevalence reported in prisons. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HCV of PPL in the 17 Social Rehabilitation Centers (CERESO's) of the State to treat with Direct Action Antivirals (DAA) and to identify the risk factors in this population.
Patients and MethodsDescriptive, cross-sectional, observational study in 17 CERESO from Veracruz, Mexico, to 6466 PPL, through screening from 2019 to the present. APRI/FIB4 index, glomerular filtration rate, HIV, comorbidities, and related risk factors were determined. Post-screening, 31 patients were treated with DAAs with sofosbuvir/velpatasbir and 5 with glecaprevir/pibrentasvir with sustained viral response in all patients.
ResultsAn incidence of HCV in PPL of 0.6% (36 patients) was found, with a prevalence of 0.05% (4 patients) to date, which have already received treatment with DAAs. 100% were men without HIV. As risk factors, 69% of the PPL used intranasal or intravenous psychoactive substances (UDIS), and 61% had piercings and/or tattoos. 80.6% did not have a school education or did not mention it, and only 14% had completed primary school. The population with the highest risk was between 30 and 39 years old (49%). Determined APRI/FIB-4, only 5 patients were staged F3 and 1 F4.
ConclusionsThe prevalence of HCV in PPL in CERESOs of Veracruz, Mexico, is lower than that reported in the world literature, which is explained by the consumption of only 0.4% of UDIS, which stands as the main risk factor for prevalence. In previous reports, the majority of the population are men within the age group of 30 to 39 years, lower than previously found.