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Hepatitis C treatment is not reaching some at-risk populations

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A study led by Megan Curtis, MD, an assistant professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at WashU Medicine (right), and Caroline Cary, a third-year medical student, showed that recently pregnant women face disparities in access to treatment for hepatitis C infection. The research follows Curtis’ recent study that showed children are also undertreated for the virus. (Photo: Matt Miller/WashU Medicine)
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As the opioid epidemic has worsened in the United States, prevalence of hepatitis C has also increased. Hepatitis C is a bloodborne virus that damages the liver. It is mainly spread through sharing needles or other injection equipment and can also be passed from a mother to baby during pregnancy or childbirth. It can be safely and effectively treated by direct-acting antiviral therapies that are approved for both adults and children.