Treating acute hepatitis C with interferon alpha prevents chronicity in nearly all cases when therapy is initiated within 3 months after infection. However, 15-50% of untreated patients may clear the hepatitis C virus (HCV) spontaneously. Therefore, factors are needed to identify patients prior to therapy who have a higher or lower risk for developing a chronic course to avoid unnecessary treatment. The role of the HCV genotype for spontaneous recovery from acute hepatitis C has been discussed controversially. In the year 2002, all 1,176 new incoming prisoners in a Northern German prison for young men (age 16-24) were screened for anti-HCV antibodies and 92 tested positive. Ninety eight percent of these reported i.v.-drug abuse for a median of 32 months prior to imprisonment. HCV-RNA negative individuals (21%) were serotyped and HCV-RNA positive patients were genotyped. The prevalence of HCV genotype 3 was significantly higher among individuals who had cleared HCV spontaneously as compared to chronically infected patients (86% vs. 38%; P = 0.002). Ninety three percent of individuals exposed to HCV genotype 1 but only 63% of individuals exposed to genotype 3 experienced a chronic course of the infection (P = 0.006). Thus, acute infection in young Caucasian men with HCV genotype 3 leads more often to spontaneous clearance than infection with HCV genotype-1. Considering also the high chance of successful treatment of chronic HCV genotype 3 infection with pegylated-interferon in combination with ribavirin, we suggest not to treat acute hepatitis C genotype 3 infection early but rather to wait at least 3 months after the onset of symptoms when chronicity becomes likely.

A high prevalence of hepatitis C (HCV) virus infection of up to 80% has been reported for injecting drug users (IDUs) in prison communities. However, there are only very limited data available on the prevalence and course of HCV in young offenders. We performed a study on hepatitis C markers in the largest German Young Offenders' Institution (YOI), a prison for men (aged 16-24 years). In 2002, all 1176 incoming offenders were asked to participate in the study of whom >95% agreed. Ninety-seven inmates (8.6%) tested positive for anti-HCV or HCV RNA, 79% of whom were viraemic. None of the patients had evidence of cirrhosis at presentation. Interestingly, six individuals (6%) tested positive for HCV RNA in the absence of anti-HCV antibodies, four of whom cleared HCV spontaneously during follow-up without either clinical signs of acute hepatitis or developing HCV antibodies. Hepatitis C markers were significantly more prevalent among immigrants from the former Soviet Union (NIS) than among German inmates (31% vs. 6% respectively, P<0.0001). HIV co-infection was found in five individuals, all of whom were German. In contrast, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was detected in five NIS immigrants, one Lebanese and one German inmate. HCV genotypes 2 and 3 were more prevalent in immigrants than in German inmates, while biochemical parameters did not differ significantly between the two groups. In conclusion, the prevalence of hepatitis C was relatively low among inmates of German YOIs although there were significant differences in relation to the country of birth. Our data highlight the need for educational programmes for young offenders in order to prevent the further spread of HCV.

Spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has frequently been associated with the presence of HCV-specific cellular immunity. However, there had been also reports in chimpanzees demonstrating clearance of HCV-viremia in the absence of significant levels of detectable HCVspecific cellular immune responses. We here report seven asymptomatic acute hepatitis C cases with peak HCV-RNA levels between 300 and 100.000 copies/ml who all cleared HCV-RNA spontaneously. Patients were identified by a systematic screening of 1176 consecutive new incoming offenders in a German young offender institution. Four of the seven patients never developed anti-HCV antibodies and had normal ALT levels throughout follow-up. Transient weak HCV-specific CD4+ T cell responses were detectable in five individuals which did not differ in strength and breadth from age-and sex-matched patients with chronic hepatitis C and long-term recovered patients. In contrast, HCV-specific MHC-class-I-tetramer-positive cells were found in 3 of 4 HLA-A2-positive patients. Thus, these cases highlight that clearance of low levels of HCV viremia is possible in the absence of a strong adaptive immune response which might explain the low seroconversion rate after occupational exposure to HCV.

Background: Infectious diseases, substance dependencies, and dental diseases are the most important health problems affecting incarcerated persons. In Germany, for example, prisoners are 48 to 69 times more likely to be infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) than the general population, and 7 to 12 times more likely to be infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The prevalence of mental illnesses is also markedly higher in the incarcerated than in the general population. Methods: This review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a selective search in two databases (PubMed and Google Scholar) for any of the terms "health care," "primary health care," "mental health care"; "infectious disease," "opioid maintenance treatment," and "severe mental disorder" in conjunction with "prison," "jail," "detention," and "incarceration." Results: Among prisoners in German prisons, approximately 20% consume heroin, 20-50% suffer from alcohol dependency and abuse, and 70-85% smoke. The prevalence of tuberculosis in German prisons in 2002 was 0.1%. The provision of needles to incarcerated persons has a preventive effect on infection with hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and HIV, yet programs of this type have been discontinued in most penal facilities. In a systematic review, psychotic disorders were found in 3.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: [3.1; 4.2]) of male inmates and 3.9% [95% CI: 2.7; 5.0] of female inmates. 25% of incarcerated persons suffer from attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Persons recently released from prison have an above average mortality, largely due to drug intoxication. Conclusion: An analysis of medical prescribing data reveals deficiencies in the provision of HCV treatment to all affected persons and in the provision of substitution treatment to persons with opiate dependency. In view of the known risks associated with imprisonment, greater emphasis should be placed on the provision of treatment for infectious diseases, substance dependencies, and mental illness, both in prison and in outpatient care after release.

BackgroundIn Germany, medical care of prisoners is completely separated from extramural health care. The extent and quality of medical care among prisoners in Germany are therefore largely unknown. We performed a secondary data analysis of pharmacy sales data for tuberculosis (TB), HIV, hepatitis C (HCV) and opioid substitution treatment (OST) delivered to prisons in 11 federal states (FS) in Germany between 01/2012 and 03/2013. The aims of this study were to assess (i) the treatment availability for the selected diseases and OST in German prisons, (ii) the proportion of prisoners treated per FS and overall for TB, HIV, HCV and OST during the study period.MethodsSubstances unique to or typically used for the treatment of each disease were defined as marker substances with defined daily doses (DDD).For each marker substance we assessed the cumulative number of DDD, the average daily number of DDD (DDDd) and average treatment prevalence per day in percent (adTP). Accordingly, the DDDd represents one person treated per day and the adTP means the proportion of prisoners treated per day. We compared the adTP of the diseases with previously measured prevalences.ResultsWe obtained data from pharmacies supplying prisons in 11 of 16 German FS. Of the included prisons, 41% were supplied with medicines for TB, 71% for HIV and 58% for HCV and OST. Twice as many delivered marker substances for TB were indicated for the continuation phase and chemoprevention than the intensive phase. The HIV adTP ranged from 0.06% to 0.94%, HCV adTP ranged from 0.03% to 0.59% and OST adTP ranged from 0% to 7.90%. The overall adTP for the respective treatment was 0.39% for HIV, 0.12% for HCV and 2.18% for OST.ConclusionsAccording to our findings treatment rates for TB were consistent with the expected TB prevalence, at least in Berlin. HIV treatment seems to be offered to an adequate proportion of estimated infected prisoners. In contrast, the HCV treatment prevalence was low. High variation among FS in provision of all treatments, particularly of OST, point to inconsistent treatment practices, although nationwide extramural treatment guidelines for Germany exist.