Gregory Yungtum, Christopher Brokus, Meghan O'Connell, Matthew Tobey
From 2015-2024, 1,282 HCV cases occurred in the six counties. These cases represented 19.6% of the state's total, whereas the counties represent 4.3% of the state's population. Case rates doubled in 2021 and 2022 to almost seven times the statewide rate.
BACKGROUND: American Indian (AI) and Alaska Native individuals experience the highest hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection rates among racial groups in the United States. We hypothesized that, in South Dakota, six counties located on AI reservations might have a distinctive and underexamined epidemiologic pattern of HCV.
METHODS: Using publicly available data from the South Dakota Department of Health, we analyzed rates of newly identified HCV cases in six reservation counties from 2015-2024.
RESULTS: From 2015-2024, 1,282 HCV cases occurred in the six counties. These cases represented 19.6% of the state's total, whereas the counties represent 4.3% of the state's population. Case rates doubled in 2021 and 2022 to almost seven times the statewide rate.
DISCUSSION: The observed increase in HCV case rates in these South Dakota counties may reflect increased transmission, expanded screening, or both. High-prevalence settings may benefit from tailored interventions aimed at curbing transmission and treating infections.