Rapid Results
HCV Rapid Testing Clinics using the GeneXpert Machine
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ommencing in October 2020, the Hepatitis SA HCV Peer Information and Support Workers have been assisting with testing for hepatitis C in the community using rapid testing. Our first experience with rapid testing was involvement in the PROMPt research study, whereby our Peers provide support to the Clinical Nurses at the Adelaide Remand Centre, DASSA Inpatient Withdrawal Services, Glenside Rural and Remote Ward and, more recently, at Hutt Street Day Services for people experiencing homelessness. Since November 2021 the Viral Hepatitis Nurses have also had access to a portable GeneXpert machine. SA Health has acquired the GeneXpert machine to help increase testing rates for hepatitis C, in order to reach the Australian Government’s goal to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030. This method of testing is conducted with just a fingerstick blood test and provides a result in less than
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an hour! This means that traditional blood samples taken by needle and syringe are not required to diagnose a person’s hepatitis C status, making it easier to test people with difficult veinous access or for those who have a chaotic lifestyle which puts hepatitis C testing low on their list of priorities. GeneXpert testing for hepatitis C is TGA-approved and will identify whether someone has a current hepatitis C infection that requires treatment. It takes about 10 minutes to provide pre-testing information and take a sample. We then call the participants about an hour later with their results, and to also arrange followup testing or treatment, as required. Hepatitis C is preventable, treatable, and curable, with just a course of daily tablets for 8 or 12 weeks. It is critically important to diagnose and treat hepatitis C early to avoid the risk of serious liver disease, including liver failure, cirrhosis, liver cancer and further transmission.
HEPATITIS SA COMMUNITY NEWS 92 • January 2022
This manner of testing is extremely portable. All we require to conduct the testing is a private room with a desk or table, two chairs and a powerpoint to plug the machine in. The GeneXpert machine is a cube approximately 40cm wide (see opposite page), and has the capacity to run four samples at a time. As each sample completes (after an hour), a new sample can be put in for testing. The samples can be kept in the cartridges for up to four hours before running the tests, but the contents must not be disturbed, or the test will fail. This meant that what we did on the Viral Hepatitis Nurses’ first day of having access to the machine, is likely a world first! The Viral Hepatitis Nurses had a patient referred to them for hepatitis C testing. The person was bedridden and awaiting surgery. The nurses had been informed that the surgeon would not do the surgery without a hepatitis C RNA test (this may or may not have been true). It was explained to me that various nurses had attended
