1. HEPATITIS C VIRUS REINFECTION IN PEOPLE WHO INJECT DRUG (PWID) PREVIOUSLY SUCCESFULY TREATED G. Ntetskas, V. Papastergiou, L. Skorda, A. Katsili, E. Anastasiou, M. Stampori, E. Asonitis, F. Labrianou, I. Familias, I. Karagiorgi, M. Kladas, S. Karatapanis Liver Clinic and 1 st Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital of Rhodes, Rhodes, Greece

2. INTRODUCTION People who inject drug (PWID) constitute the vast majority of HCV cases in the developed world. Although significant numbers of these patients can successfully treated with antiviral treatment there is reluctance to offer treatment to them mainly related to concerns about re-infection following successful therapy.

3. AIM OF STUDY To assess the rate of HCV reinfection in PWID who were successfully treated with double antiviral therapy.

4. PATIENTS AND METHODS (1) In this prospective study we have documented 62 (M/F=44/18, mean age 37) patients of HCV therapy who had resulted in a sustained virological response (SVR). All these patients had received double antiviral therapy with pegylated interferon plus ribavirine for either 24 or 48 weeks depending on the HCV genotype. All patients had at least 12 months of follow-up after successful eradication of the virus.

5. PATIENTS AND METHODS (2) During the follow-up period all patients had HCV-RNA determination every year after the SVR confirmation, and whenever clinically or biochemically indicated

6. RESULTS (1) Mean range of follow-up was 43 months (range 18- 76). Among these patients 8/62 (12,9%) found reinfected with HCV during this period. In 5 cases the new genotype was different from the original while in the other 3 cases genotype was the same. The time of reinfection was within the first 12 months of follow-up in 3 cases, while the other occurred later.

7. RESULTS (2) Time of reinfection 7 month 9 month 11month 15 month 16 month 20 month 21 month 25 month

8. CONCLUSIONS The results of the present study showed that in our population of PWID infected with HCV, successful eradication of the virus it is not associated with significant HCV reinfection. These findings justify the administration of antiviral therapy in these patients