HEPATITIS WEB STUDY Acute C Virus Infection: Epidemiology, Clinical Features, and Diagnosis H. Nina Kim, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases University of Washington School of Medicine March 11, 2013
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Acute C: Epidemiology
Incidence of Acute C, by year United States, 1982-2010 60,000 Estimated Number of Cases 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 Source: CDC Division of Viral. Statistics and Surveillance.
Reported Number of Acute HCV Cases United States, 2000-2010 3,500 3,000 Number of Cases 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 Year Source: National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS)
C Incident Cases in 2010 17,000 estimated new HCV infections per year in U.S. 2,800 cases with symptomatic acute HCV 853 cases of acute HCV actually reported Source: CDC Division of Viral. Statistics and Surveillance.
Rationale for Identifying Patients with Acute HCV Provide risk reduction counseling and linkage to care Shift dynamics of natural history of HCV disease
C Transmission Bloodborne transmission is the most common route Sexual transmission in general population considered rare - Among cohort of 895 heterosexual HCV-serodiscordant couples, only 3 transmissions occurred à incidence 0.37/1000 person-years - Strain analysis did not support sexual transmission Increasing reports of HIV-infected men who have sex with men with sexually-acquired acute HCV infection in Europe, Australia, and U.S. Source: Vandelli C, et al. Am J Gastroenterol. 2004;99:855-9.
List of Potential C Exposures Potential Source of Exposure to C Virus Recent injection drug use Needle stick injury Procedures involving potentially reused needles: tattooing, body-piercing, acupuncture Exposure to re-used sharp objects or re-used vials of injectable materials Nosocomial exposure to contaminated equipment, or potential direct exposure to blood High risk sexual practices: fisting, bleeding during sex, use of sharp objects during sex Sexual contact with a known HCV-infected partner Sexual contact with known HIV positive partner Sexual contact with known sexually transmitted infections in patient or their partner Blood transfusion or unsafe therapeutic procedures during travel in a developing country
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of Acute C Acute HCV = first 6 months of infection Diagnosis of acute HCV can be challenging: - Most cases asymptomatic - No reliable or specific IgM-based HCV antibody test
Acute C: 2012 CDC Case Definition Acute C: 2012 Case Definition Clinical Presentation An acute illness consistent with acute viral hepatitis AND Jaundice/dark urine or ALT greater than 400 IU/L Laboratory Criteria for Diagnosis Meets 1 of the following 3 criteria: HCV EIA positive, OR HCV RIBA positive, OR HCV RNA positive AND Negative HAV IgM AND negative HBV IgM anti-hbc Source: CDC and Prevention
Diagnosis of Acute C C RNA quantitative (or qualitative) assay - Can detect HCR RNA as early as 1 week from time of infection - Most sensitive early test - Levels can fluctuate widely in acute infection - Best to use assay with low limit of detection (<10-15 IU/mL) Serum ALT - Elevated in range of 400-800 U/L for symptomatic patients - Any new elevation (typically >7X ULN) C antibody (by standard EIA) - Lags behind HCV RNA - In most patients, detected x 2-4 months from time of infection - Not as sensitive: only 50-70% acutely infected are HCV Ab (+) - Helpful if seroconversion has occurred
Spontaneous Clearance of HCV after Acute Infection +/- Symptoms HCV RNA ALT Anti-HCV HCV Infection Source: www.hepwebstudy.org 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Weeks
HCV Persistence after Acute Infection +/- Symptoms HCV RNA ALT Anti-HCV HCV Infection Source: www.hepwebstudy.org 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Weeks
Distribution of HCV RNA Levels for Acute versus Chronic HCV Percent of All Patients (%) 40 30 20 10 16.0 Acute Chronic 8.0 13.0 25.0 7.9 20.0 16.5 11.0 26.1 7.0 30.2 14.3 0 1.3 1.9 1.9 0.0 <3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 >6.5 Baseline HCV RNA concentration, log 10 IU/ml Source: McGovern BH, et al. Clin Infect Dis. 2009;49:1051-60.
Clinical Features & Natural History
Acute C Clinical Features Among 51 Patients with Acute HCV Infection 100 80 68 Patients (%) 60 40 55 39 34 25 20 0 Jaundice Flu-Like Symptoms Dark Urine & White Stool Nausea Abdominal Pain Source: Gerlach JT, et al. Gastroenterology. 2003;125:80-8.
Acute C Clinical Features Among 24 Patients with Acute HCV Infection 100 80 Patients (%) 60 40 63 50 38 20 17 0 Fatigue Jaundice Dyspepsia Abdominal Pain Source: Santantonio T, et al. Dig Liver Dis. 2003;35:104-13.
Natural History of Acute HCV Infection Incubation period = 4-14 weeks - Most with acute HCV are asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic - Only 10-20% have a distinct clinical illness If clinical illness occurs, hepatitis is rarely fulminant - ALT typically 400-1000 U/L - Bilirubin rarely >12 mg/dl Two possible outcomes: - Spontaneous clearance: estimated at 20-25% (may be lower in HIV-infected) - Persistent chronic HCV infection. Source: Low, et. al. AIDS Reviews 2008; 10:245-53.
Predictors of Spontaneous HCV Clearance Lower peak HCV RNA levels Rapid early decline in HCV viral level High ALT Presence of jaundice Female gender Younger age Non-black race Coinfection with chronic hep B (+HBsAg) IL28B CC homozygous genotype
Genetic Variation in IL28-B and Spontaneous HCV Clearance 100 Spontaneous Clearance of HCV (%) 80 60 53.0 40 29.5 23.4 20 0 T/T C/T C/C Genotype Source: Thomas DT, et al. Nature. 2009;461:798-802.
Genetic Variation in IL28-B and Spontaneous HCV Clearance 100 80 T/T C/T C/C P = 4 x 10-7 P = 0.04 P = 3 x 10-7 Clearance (%) 60 40 20 0 All European Ancestry African Ancestry Source: Thomas DT, et al. Nature. 2009;461:798-802.
Acute C: Summary Often a missed diagnosis! Contaminated blood exposure is the most common but sexual transmission can occur Confirmation of acute hepatitis C can be challenging since minority (10-20%) of patients have clinical symptoms HCV RNA, serum ALT and HCV antibody testing remain the cornerstone of acute HCV diagnosis Spontaneous clearance can occur in some acutely infected patients but the majority (75%) will go onto chronic infection if untreated.
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