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Prevention strategies

Considering the virus’ modes of transmission, many strategies can be put in place for prevention:

• The use of sterile single-use equipment for consuming drugs (also requiring sufficient distribution and accessibility);
• Ensuring all piercing and tattooing is done using sterile single-use materials, including ink. In Quebec, training for the proper use of single-use materials exists but is not obligatory for piercing and tattoo professionals;
• Monitoring tissue and blood samples (in place in Canada since 1992);
• Never sharing personal hygiene equipment (razors, toothbrushes, nail-clippers…);
• Gettting tested simply to know one’s own serological status in order to have access to treatment in case of HCV diagnosis and to prevent the transmission of the virus.

Raising public awareness is also essential for preventing HCV infections.

Other HCV prevention measures to be implemented on a macro level include properly financing organizations dedicated to harm reduction and preventing the transmission of STBBIs, making screening more accessible and decriminalizing drug possession.

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Progress toward a vaccine?

In Canada, Dr. Jordan Feld seeks to begin a study involving a controlled human infection model (CHIM). CHIM studies are conducted with healthy adult volunteers who receive either a vaccine or a placebo and are then exposed to HCV in order to evaluate the vaccine’s efficacy. Participants who develop chronic hepatitis C are treated quickly.

This type of approach has certain advantages such as accelerating wait-times and reducing costs. It does, however, raise numerous questions in terms of ethics, science (relating to the strain of HCV used for the vaccine) and security (can the results be transposed on to key communities?).¹

The development of a vaccine against HCV still has a way to go. This is why it’s important to reinforce screening efforts, improve access to treatment and put in place prevention strategies if we hope to eliminate HCV.²

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References

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