title: Hepatitis C Virus Testing and Linkage to Care in North Carolina and South Carolina Jails, 2012-2014.
abstract: We evaluated a hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing and linkage-to-care post-release program among detainees of small- to medium-sized jails in North Carolina and South Carolina as part of the Hepatitis Testing and Linkage to Care initiative.
  
  
  
  An HCV testing and linkage-to-care program was implemented in selected jails in North Carolina and South Carolina from December 2012 to March 2014. Health-care workers not affiliated with the jails conducted HCV antibody (anti-HCV) and HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) testing and linkage-to-care activities. The North Carolina jail provided universal opt-out testing for HCV; South Carolina jails initially targeted high-risk individuals before expanding to routine testing.
  
  
  
  Of 669 detainees tested for HCV in North Carolina, 88 (13.2%) tested anti-HCV positive, of whom 81 (92.0%) received an HCV RNA test, 66 (81.5%) of whom tested HCV RNA positive (i.e., currently infected). Of the 66 detainees with current HCV infection, 18 were referred to HCV medical care post-release and 10 attended their first appointment. Of 224 detainees tested for HCV in South Carolina, 18 (8.0%) tested anti-HCV positive, of whom 13 received an HCV RNA test. Nine of 13 detainees tested HCV RNA positive, seven detainees were referred to post-release medical care, and two detainees attended their first appointment. Overall, 106 of 893 (11.9%) detainees were anti-HCV positive.
  
  
  
  This study demonstrated that HCV testing, identification of infection, and linkage to care are feasible among jail populations. The rate of anti-HCV positivity was lower than that found in national studies of incarcerated populations, suggesting that HCV infection prevalence in jails may vary across U.S. states or regions.
authors.affiliation: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN.
authors.forename: Ben T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Schoenbachler
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Viral Hepatitis, Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Bryce D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Durham County Department of Public Health, Durham, NC; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Division of Infectious Diseases, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Arlene C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Seña
authors.affiliation: Durham County Department of Public Health, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hilton
authors.affiliation: HopeHealth Inc., Orangeburg, SC.
authors.forename: Sallie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bachman
authors.affiliation: HopeHealth Inc., Florence, SC.
authors.forename: Mulamba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lunda
authors.affiliation: Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Atlanta, GA; Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Anne C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Spaulding
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D011330:Prisons; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013022:South Carolina; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral