Hepatitis C screening and management practices: a survey of drug treatment and syringe exchange programs in New York City.

Injection drug users (IDUs) account for more than 60% of all new hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in the United States. Fifty to eighty percent of new IDUs are infected within 6 to 12 months of initial injection. Current treatment regimens are not highly effective, and no vaccine against HCV is available. Studies suggest that drug treatment and syringe exchange programs may play a role in reducing HCV infection among participants by promoting drug abstinence or safer injection practices among those who continue to use drugs. The New York City Department of Health conducted a survey of local drug treatment and syringe exchange programs to determine whether their HCV screening and counseling practices were carried out, as recommended in recent federal guidelines.