title: Importance of quick test for screening of former drug users.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most frequent mode of transmission of HCV today is with intravenous drug use. Former intravenous (IV) drug users present population group more exposed to HCV infection. Longer period of substance abuse, common syringe, more sexual partners (drug users) represent independent, statistically significant risk factors in this population. Diagnosis of HCV infection is based on history, epidemiological data, and clinical presentation, blood tests, histopathological and virology investigation. Hepagnost C is fast immunochromatography test for qualitative detection of HCV antibodies in blood, serum or plasma. Sensitivity of this test compared to EIA is >99% and relative specificity 98,6%.
  
  
  METHODS
  At Clinic for Infectious diseases (Hepatology Department) voluntary testing with Hepagnost C test was done for 22 former drug users. Results of this cross-sectional study are processed with SPSS program for Windows.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the subjects were male (95,5%), average age of 33 +/- 3,5 years with average length of drug usage of 10 (7-12,5) years. All positive (9/22) were tested with EIA test and HCV infection was confirmed (9/9), therefore positive predictive value for Hepagnost C is 100%. We investigated relative risk (RR) with IV drug usage. Higher risk for infection (1,7 times) was among IV. drug users. Odds ratio was 2,4 (chance for HCV in iv. drug users group is 2,4 times higher). Common syringes increase relative risk for 4,5 times, and Odds ratio for infection 9 times.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hepagnost C test of high sensitivity and specificity showed 100% prediction. It is simple, inexpensive and comfortable test with results within 15 minutes. Demographic characteristics of tested persons as well as statistical results do not deviate significantly from results in available literature.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. refetmd@gmail.com
authors.forename: Refet
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gojak
authors.forename: Merdina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferhatovic
authors.forename: Nermina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bajramovic
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hadzic
authors.forename: Belma
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gazibera
authors.forename: Dragic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bankovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000635:transmission; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies