Exposure to long-term prescription opioid therapy was linked to a three times higher risk of HCV seroconversion compared to individuals who were prescription opioid-naïve or acute.

Prescription opioid use is associated with a significant risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) seroconversion, according to new research.

A team, led by James Wilton, MPH, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, assessed the link between medically dispensed long-term prescription opioid therapy for noncancer pain and HCV seroconversion among individuals who were initially injection drug use-naïve.

In this cohort study of people with more than 1 HCV test, long-term prescription opioid therapy for noncancer pain was associated with a higher risk of HCV seroconversion among individuals who were injection drug use–naive at baseline or at prescription opioid initiation.

These results suggest injection drug use initiation risk is higher among people dispensed long-term therapy and may be useful for informing approaches to identify and prevent HCV infection.

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