Universal blood-borne virus screening in patients with severe mental illness managed in an outpatient clozapine clinic: uptake and prevalence.

OBJECTIVE

Patients with a severe mental illness have higher rates of infection with blood-borne viruses (BBVs) but are less likely to access testing and treatment. Enhanced testing of this population is therefore warranted.

METHODS

In this single centre, prospective study, we sought to offer testing for BBVs to all patients who attended an appointment in the clozapine clinic (CC) over a six-month period. Those who consented were tested for HIV antigen/antibody, hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody and hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg).

RESULTS

During the study period, 192 patients attended an appointment, of which 164 were offered testing. Of those, 134 (81.7%) accepted and 30 declined. Among patients who agreed to be tested, results were returned for 96 (71.6%). There were no positive results for HBsAg or HIV. Seven patients (7.2%) were positive for HCV antibody. Of those, three were newly identified exposures of which two were found to be chronically infected and were referred for treatment.

CONCLUSION

A routine offer of BBV testing for people with severe mental illness in the outpatient setting is feasible and may detect treatable infections.