2201. Prevalence of Hepatitis C in Adults Presenting to Emergency Departments in a Large Hospital System in Texas

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C is a chronic life-threatening disease which is curable. However, ~60% of Hep C-infected individuals are unaware of their infection status. The majority of Hep C has been documented in baby boomers (born 1946–1965; PMID:22895429). METHODS: Prospective case study of adults presenting to the Emergency Departments (EDs) of a large is not for profit hospital system in the Houston, Texas area. Adults presenting between March 2013 and October 2016 were eligible for testing for antibody to Hep C (Gilead). RESULTS: Over the 3.5 years study, 8,159 patients presenting to nine participating EDs in the Houston, Texas region were screened for Hep C. There were 744 (10.0%) individuals found positive. Prevalence of Hep C by testing ED ranged from 4.0 to 13.7% (P < 0.001) and males (11.8%) were significantly (P < 0.001) more frequently positive than females (6.6%). When parsed by age categories; individuals born before 1946 (3.8% Hep C positive) had a significantly lower (P < 0.001) prevalence of Hep C than cohorts born between 1946 and 1965 (9.6%+) or after 1965 (9.2%+). CONCLUSION: Hep C is prevalent in adult patients presenting to EDs in the Houston, Texas region. The 10% Hep C positivity rate is similar to that found (11.6%) in another Gulf state, Alabama (PMID: 26611776). Our findings differ in that prevalence in individuals born after 1965 was as high as that for baby boomers. DISCLOSURES: J. McCarthy, Gilead: Research Contractor, Research support.