Objective The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common blood-borne infection in the United States. Although 2% to 3% of the global population is estimated to be infected with HCV, an estimated 18% of the US prison population may be infected. The objective of this study was to establish an epidemiologic profile of HCV infection in the largest urban jail system in the United States. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 20 years of data on demographic characteristics, risk factors, and HCV positivity among 80 681 individuals incarcerated at the Los Angeles County Jail who were tested for HCV infection from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2019. We used multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine predictors of HCV positivity. Results Of the 80 681 individuals tested, 27 881 (34.6%) had positive test results for HCV infection. In the multivariate analysis, HCV positivity was most strongly associated with injection drug use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 34.9; 95% CI, 24.6-49.5) and being born during 1946-1955 (aOR = 13.0; 95% CI, 11.9-14.2). Men were more likely than women to have HCV infection (aOR = 1.4; 95% CI, 1.3-1.5), and Hispanic (aOR = 4.2; 95% CI, 3.9-4.4) and non-Hispanic White (aOR = 3.8; 95% CI, 3.5-4.0) individuals were more likely than non-Hispanic African American individuals to have HCV infection. Noninjection drug use, homelessness, and mental health issues were also significantly associated with HCV positivity. Conclusion Even in the absence of resources for universal screening for HCV infection, the creation of a risk profile and its implementation into a screening program may be a beneficial first step toward improving HCV surveillance and establishing an accurate estimate of HCV infection in the incarcerated population.

Incarcerated populations tend to be disproportionately affected by HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and men who have sex with men (MSM) are an especially high-risk subset of these populations. Despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations for universal HIV screening, a lack of resources and high inmate turnover make it difficult to implement such guidelines in jails. From September 2013 to May 2016, the Infection Control Unit of the Los Angeles County Jail used existing resources to implement a voluntary, risk-based HIV educational and screening program targeting MSM inmates during early incarceration. The results revealed a high percentage of previously unknown HIV infections (8.5% = 57 of the 671 tested) and some unknown non-HIV STI cases. In the absence of resources for universal HIV screening, the risk-based approach is a sustainable and cost-effective approach for improving HIV surveillance in the correctional setting.