Rapid point-of-care (POC) testing for Hepatitis C antibodies in a very high prevalence setting: persons injecting drugs in Tallinn, Estonia
Abstract Background Between December 2018 and January of 2019, we evaluated the accuracy of the point-of-care Hepatitis C (HCV) antibody test (POC; OraQuick HCV) used at a community-based needle and syringe exchange program serving persons who inject drugs in Tallinn, Estonia. Methods We compared th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2021-04-01
|
| Series: | Harm Reduction Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-021-00485-5 |
| _version_ | 1819071416004247552 |
|---|---|
| author | Anneli Uusküla Ave Talu Jürgen Rannap David M. Barnes Don Des Jarlais |
| author_facet | Anneli Uusküla Ave Talu Jürgen Rannap David M. Barnes Don Des Jarlais |
| author_sort | Anneli Uusküla |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Between December 2018 and January of 2019, we evaluated the accuracy of the point-of-care Hepatitis C (HCV) antibody test (POC; OraQuick HCV) used at a community-based needle and syringe exchange program serving persons who inject drugs in Tallinn, Estonia. Methods We compared the results of screening for HCV antibodies by OraQuick (oral swab) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA; blood draw) and assessed test results implications in a high prevalence setting. Findings Of the 100 participants, 88 (88%) had reactive POC test results, and 93 were HCV antibody positive on EIA testing. Sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value (NPV) for the POC assay with EIA as the relevant reference test were as follows: 94.6% (95% CI 90.0–99.2%), 100% and 58.3% (95% CI 30.4–86.2%). Of the 12 testing, HCV-negative with the POC only 7 (58.3%) were true negatives. Conclusions Oral swab rapid testing HCV screening in this nonclinical setting was sensitive and specific but had unacceptably low NPV. In high prevalence settings, POC tests with high sensitivity and that directly measure HCV RNA may be warranted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T17:21:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4fb6e6368f624cabb59743898fb54824 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1477-7517 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T17:21:29Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Harm Reduction Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-4fb6e6368f624cabb59743898fb548242022-12-21T18:56:09ZengBMCHarm Reduction Journal1477-75172021-04-011811610.1186/s12954-021-00485-5Rapid point-of-care (POC) testing for Hepatitis C antibodies in a very high prevalence setting: persons injecting drugs in Tallinn, EstoniaAnneli Uusküla0Ave Talu1Jürgen Rannap2David M. Barnes3Don Des Jarlais4Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of TartuDepartment of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of TartuDepartment of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of TartuSchool of Global Public Health, New York UniversitySchool of Global Public Health, New York UniversityAbstract Background Between December 2018 and January of 2019, we evaluated the accuracy of the point-of-care Hepatitis C (HCV) antibody test (POC; OraQuick HCV) used at a community-based needle and syringe exchange program serving persons who inject drugs in Tallinn, Estonia. Methods We compared the results of screening for HCV antibodies by OraQuick (oral swab) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA; blood draw) and assessed test results implications in a high prevalence setting. Findings Of the 100 participants, 88 (88%) had reactive POC test results, and 93 were HCV antibody positive on EIA testing. Sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value (NPV) for the POC assay with EIA as the relevant reference test were as follows: 94.6% (95% CI 90.0–99.2%), 100% and 58.3% (95% CI 30.4–86.2%). Of the 12 testing, HCV-negative with the POC only 7 (58.3%) were true negatives. Conclusions Oral swab rapid testing HCV screening in this nonclinical setting was sensitive and specific but had unacceptably low NPV. In high prevalence settings, POC tests with high sensitivity and that directly measure HCV RNA may be warranted.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-021-00485-5HCV testingHCV antibody testingHCV POC testingHCV RNA testingPersons who inject drugsPWID |
| spellingShingle | Anneli Uusküla Ave Talu Jürgen Rannap David M. Barnes Don Des Jarlais Rapid point-of-care (POC) testing for Hepatitis C antibodies in a very high prevalence setting: persons injecting drugs in Tallinn, Estonia Harm Reduction Journal HCV testing HCV antibody testing HCV POC testing HCV RNA testing Persons who inject drugs PWID |
| title | Rapid point-of-care (POC) testing for Hepatitis C antibodies in a very high prevalence setting: persons injecting drugs in Tallinn, Estonia |
| title_full | Rapid point-of-care (POC) testing for Hepatitis C antibodies in a very high prevalence setting: persons injecting drugs in Tallinn, Estonia |
| title_fullStr | Rapid point-of-care (POC) testing for Hepatitis C antibodies in a very high prevalence setting: persons injecting drugs in Tallinn, Estonia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rapid point-of-care (POC) testing for Hepatitis C antibodies in a very high prevalence setting: persons injecting drugs in Tallinn, Estonia |
| title_short | Rapid point-of-care (POC) testing for Hepatitis C antibodies in a very high prevalence setting: persons injecting drugs in Tallinn, Estonia |
| title_sort | rapid point of care poc testing for hepatitis c antibodies in a very high prevalence setting persons injecting drugs in tallinn estonia |
| topic | HCV testing HCV antibody testing HCV POC testing HCV RNA testing Persons who inject drugs PWID |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-021-00485-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT anneliuuskula rapidpointofcarepoctestingforhepatitiscantibodiesinaveryhighprevalencesettingpersonsinjectingdrugsintallinnestonia AT avetalu rapidpointofcarepoctestingforhepatitiscantibodiesinaveryhighprevalencesettingpersonsinjectingdrugsintallinnestonia AT jurgenrannap rapidpointofcarepoctestingforhepatitiscantibodiesinaveryhighprevalencesettingpersonsinjectingdrugsintallinnestonia AT davidmbarnes rapidpointofcarepoctestingforhepatitiscantibodiesinaveryhighprevalencesettingpersonsinjectingdrugsintallinnestonia AT dondesjarlais rapidpointofcarepoctestingforhepatitiscantibodiesinaveryhighprevalencesettingpersonsinjectingdrugsintallinnestonia |