Hepatitis C reinfection ‘low’ after antiviral therapy for injecting drug users
Drug use is not a reason to withhold therapy; it just means patients need good support and monitoring, say researchers
The risk of reinfection after hepatitis C treatment among injecting drug users on opioid agonist therapy is low, underscoring the benefit of GPs facilitating antiviral treatment, Australian researchers say.
In a study of 286 illicit drug users across 13 countries, researchers, led by the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney, found only 10 patients were reinfected — most within six months of completing their hepatitis C treatment.
