Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42888873›Full record

Observational studyLiver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver2026

Prevalence of Hepatitis C Infection and Treatment Initiation Following Dried Blood Spot Testing in New South Wales, Australia.

Annabelle Stevens, Anna Conway, Nigel Carrington, Evan B Cunningham, Alison D Marshall, Janaki Amin, Phillip Read, Tracey Brown, Rick Varma, Bianca Prain and 3 more

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Prevalence of Hepatitis C Infection and Treatment Initiation Following Dried Blood Spot Testing in New South Wales, Australia.Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver · 2026
    Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Annabelle StevensThe Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0524-7064
Anna ConwayThe Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Nigel CarringtonSydney Sexual Health Centre, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, NSW Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Evan B CunninghamThe Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Alison D MarshallThe Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7476-7894
Janaki AminThe Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2161-9366
Phillip ReadThe Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5422-3777
Tracey BrownJustice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network, NSW Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6674-4593
Rick VarmaSydney Sexual Health Centre, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, NSW Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0402-0506
Bianca PrainNSW Health, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.
Philip CunninghamNSW State Reference Laboratory for HIV, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2613-6910
Gregory J DoreThe Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4741-2622
Jason GrebelyThe Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1833-2017

Funding

NSW Ministry of Health
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimsTo achieve hepatitis C (HCV) elimination by 2030, testing and treatment must reach people most at risk. Dried blood spot (DBS) testing offers an alternative to venepuncture, suitable for community and prison settings. This study evaluated HCV infection prevalence and treatment initiation among people receiving DBS testing in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

methodsThe NSW DBS Pilot was an observational study of people testing for HCV RNA from DBS samples collected across 36 community sites (including drug treatment clinics and needle and syringe programmes) and 21 prisons. Logistic regression identified factors associated with current HCV infection (detectable HCV RNA) and treatment initiation within 6 months.

resultsBetween September 2019 and December 2023, 13 940 participants were tested for HCV (25% female, 33% Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, 36% injected drugs in the last month). Overall, 11% (1310/13940) had current infection, higher in community (12%) than prison (9%), and declining from 14% in 2019-2021 to 9% in 2022-2023. Among those with current infection, treatment initiation within 6 months was higher in prison settings (64%) compared to community (37%). In community settings, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people had lower odds of treatment initiation (aOR 0.69, 95% CI: 0.51-0.92). In prison, treatment declined in 2022-2023 compared with 2019-2021 (aOR 0.64, 95% CI: 0.43-0.94).

conclusionsThe NSW DBS Pilot provided broad access to HCV testing, but treatment initiation remained suboptimal, particularly in community settings. Declining prevalence indicates progress towards elimination; however, further efforts are needed to close remaining gaps along the care cascade.

Indexed as

Dried Blood Spot TestingHepatitis CAdultAntiviral AgentsAustralian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PeoplesFemaleHealth Services for PrisonersHepacivirusHumansLogistic ModelsMaleMiddle AgedNew South WalesPilot ProjectsPrevalencePrisonsAntiviral AgentsRNA, Viraldried blood spothepatitis CPWIDtestingtreatment

Identifiers

PMID42888873
PMCPMC13675648

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.