Acute HCV in the prison population

该临床核心的目标是提供来自急性/早期淋巴细胞白血病受试者的大量PBMC样本。 阶段HCV感染，允许研究者在整个研究期间进行大规模的免疫学参数研究 合作中心。 这一核心的资金将使继续确定急性/早期阶段的丙型肝炎病毒感染， 马萨诸塞州州立监狱系统。理由包括年轻注射吸毒者人数众多， 因此，这些人有感染HCV的风险。急性期的鉴别 传统上，HCV依赖于症状或实验室异常，而不是暴露史，但 我们的前一个资助期建立了一个基于历史风险因素的系统，以筛选早期阶段 HCV感染。这个简短的1-2分钟的问卷旨在帮助提供者在 最近通过注射毒品获得丙型肝炎病毒。在MA州的成功实施 监狱系统在短时间内发现了大量的急性丙型肝炎病毒感染者。在 此外，该项目还有效地加强了纵向样本采集。这是第一个 对进入监狱系统的人员中急性HCV的系统研究，提供关键信息 关于急性HCV的总体患病率、临床特征和治疗结果， 被监禁的人。 从这个临床核心的资金将允许继续这一独特的和宝贵的资源， 该合作中心的成员以及允许与其他小组合作研究问题 而不是直接由这笔赠款解决。

The goal ofthis clinical core is to provide high numbers of samples of PBMC from subjects with acute / early phase HCV infecfion, allowing large-scale studies of immunologic parameters for investigators throughout the collaborative center. Funding of this core would allow continued identification of acute / early stage HCV infection in the Massachusetts State Prison system. Rationale includes the high number of young injection drug users entering the prison systems yearty, who are therefore at risk for HCV infection. The identification of acute HCV had traditionally been reliant on symptoms or laboratory abnormalities rather than exposure history, but our prior funding period established a system based on history-based risk factors to screen for early-stage HCV infecfion. This brief 1-2 minute quesfionnaire was designed to assist providers in identifying persons at nsk for recent acquisition of HCV by injection drug use. The successful implementation in the MA state prison system identified a large number () of persons with acute HCV over a short period of time. In addition, longitudinal sample acquisifion was greafiy enhanced by this project. This represents the first systematic study of acute HCV among persons entering the prison system, providing critical information regarding the overall prevalence, clinical characteristics, and treatment outcomes of acute HCV in incarcerated individuals. Funding from this clinical core would allow continuafion ofthis unique and valuable resource for both members ofthis Collaborative Center as well as allow collaboration with other groups examining questions not being addressed directly by this grant.