New opportunities for the management and therapy of hepatitis C in correctional settings.
Hepatitis C in prison populations is now a major public health problem, and large numbers of correctional facilities have no comprehensive management program, often because of formidable projected costs and tightening budget constraints. The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has operated a management and therapy program since 2002 using consensus interferon and ribavirin with 45% cost savings. The program has provided excellent sustained viral responses: 54.2% for genotype 1 hepatitis C, 75% for genotypes 2 and 3, and 63.6% overall.
Martin
C Kent
CK
Medcenter One Health Systems, 222 N 7th St, Bismark, ND 58501, USA. kentmartin@bis.midco.net
Hostetter
Jeffrey E
JE
Hagan
John J
JJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009658:North Dakota; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011330:Prisons / Q000191:economics; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007370:Interferon Type I; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin; C050739:interferon alfacon-1