First Nations hepatitis C virus infections: Six-year retrospective study of on-reserve rates of newly reported infections in northwestern Ontario.

OBJECTIVE: To document rates of newly reported hepatitis C virus (HCV) cases from 2010 to 2015 in remote First Nations communities.
DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of aggregate data of newly reported HCV antibody-positive (Ab+) cases.
SETTING: Northwestern Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 31 First Nations communities (an on-reserve population of 20 901) supported in health care by the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The aggregate characteristic data included year of notification, age range, and sex for a 6-year period (2010 to 2015).
RESULTS: There were 267 HCV Ab+ cases in the 6-year study period. The incidence in 2015 was 324.2 per 100 000 population. This is 11 times the rate for all of Ontario. The most common associated risk factor was sharing of intravenous drug use equipment. Women made up 52% of patients with newly reported HCV Ab+ cases. More than 45% of cases were in patients between 20 and 29 years of age.
CONCLUSION: This high burden of newly reported HCV Ab+ cases in geographically remote First Nations communities is concerning, and prevention and treatment resources are needed. This burden of disease might pose more urgent health and social challenges than can be generalized from the experience of the rest of Canada. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.