HIV/HCV Health Advisory

April 24, 2015 - CDC Health Advisory on HIV/Hepatitis C among people who inject drugs

Today, CDC issued a Health Advisory to alert public health departments and healthcare providers nationwide of a growing hepatitis C epidemic among people who inject drugs and the possibility of current or future HIV outbreaks among this population.

In light of the recent HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs in southeastern Indiana and CDC national data showing a 150 percent increase over 4 years in new hepatitis C infections – believed to be primarily attributable to injection drug use – CDC is asking states to examine their most recent data to help identify communities that could be at risk for unrecognized clusters of hepatitis and HIV infections.

The Health Advisory also recommends a comprehensive approach to preventing drug-related HIV and hepatitis transmission, including strategies to prevent and treat substance abuse itself, as well as a range of proven tools to reduce sexual and drug-related risk.

For your stories about the Health Advisory, please find the full text at the link below.