Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Hepatitis C virus infects 71 million people worldwide causing complex liver disease, cancer and lifelong illness. Approximately half of those infected with Hepatitis C in Canada remain unaware, undiagnosed and untreated, presenting a real threat of continual transmission and long term burden on societal care systems. A medical breakthrough in the form of safe, effective and quick acting prescribed drugs to treat Hepatitis C infection prompted the Public Health Agency of Canada to prioritize elimination of the virus by 2030. Elimination requires increasing surveillance, detecting drug resistance and preventing re-infection. In partnership with the British Columbia Center for Disease Control, British Columbia Hepatitis Testers Cohort, Surveillance of Hepatitis-C Antiviral Resistance, Epidemiology and Methodology Network (SHARED) and the Public Health Agency of Canada, the nominated applicant (Aidan Nikiforuk) proposes to develop a new tool to identify and predict events of Hepatitis C virus re-infection in British Columbia. Research Outcomes: 1) measure how similar Hepatitis C viruses are between a patient's first infection and suspected reinfection. 2) monitor for known or suspected drug resistance in high risk populations. 3) apply sophisticated statistical equations to predict events of Hepatitis C re-infection in British Columbia. Support of this project will answer the important question, "What is the likelihood of Hepatitis C re-infection in British Columbia from 2017-2019?". In review: Hepatitis C virus causes a deadly but preventable epidemic in Canada, we possess new drugs to treat infection, treatment requires surveillance/diagnosis, knowledge of drug resistance and prevention of re-infections. This proposal aims to describe the likelihood of re-infection in British Columbia using new collaborations and tools. Funding support will directly benefit Hepatitis C elimination strategies in Canada and lead to successful elimination by the target year of 2030.