Results of Universal Prenatal Screening for Hepatitis C Infection in a Remote American Indian Primary Care Population

Authors

Christine Dubray, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionFollow
John T. Redd, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Indian Health ServiceFollow
Cecile M. Town, Indian Health ServiceFollow
Kathy K. Byrd, Johns Hopkins
Supriya Janakiraman, Johns Hopkins
Anindya K. De, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
James E. Cheek, Indian Health Service

Keywords

American Indians; Fetus — Diseases — Diagnosis; Hepatitis C infection; Hepatitis C virus; Indians of North America; Intravenous drug abuse; Intravenous drug use; Prenatal; Prenatal diagnosis; Rural population

Disciplines

Clinical Epidemiology | Health Services Research | Maternal and Child Health | Public Health

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although chronic liver disease remains a major area of health disparity for American Indian (AI) people, the epidemiology of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among AI people is poorly documented. Because of suspected high local prevalence, two remote AI clinics in the Northern Plains implemented universal prenatal HCV screening in 2005. When this screening program reported an unexpectedly high prenatal anti-HCV (anti-HCV antibody) positivity rate, we conducted a case-control study to determine risks for infection and opportunities for community intervention.

MAIN FINDINGS: The clinics screened a total of 205 pregnant women (median age, 22 years). Of these 205 women, a total of 13 (6.3%; 95% confidence interval, 3.4–10.6) had anti-HCV confirmed. Of the anti-HCV-positive women, 10 (76.9%) were aged 15–24 years. We included 10 cases and 40 anti-HCV-negative prenatal controls in a case-control study. On multivariate analysis, only injection-drug use (IDU) remained associated with HCV seropositivity.

CONCLUSIONS: Universal prenatal screening revealed a high prevalence of anti-HCV at these remote AI clinics. This population has not been previously described at being at elevated risk for HCV infection. In order to reduce health disparities, young, rural AI populations seeking prenatal care need to be included in interventions to reduce HCV transmission.

Recommended Citation

Dubray, Christine; Redd, John T.; Town, Cecile M.; Byrd, Kathy K.; Janakiraman, Supriya; De, Anindya K.; and Cheek, James E. (2010) "Results of Universal Prenatal Screening for Hepatitis C Infection in a Remote American Indian Primary Care Population," Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice: Vol. 4: Iss. 3, Article 4.
Available at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/jhdrp/vol4/iss3/4