Treating Hepatis C Virus and Opioid Use Disorder Together Benefits Patients This study found that people with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who inject drugs, offering buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder at the same location as HCV treatment resulted in high rates of buprenorphine initiation. People who started and maintained buprenorphine during HCV treatment experienced numerous clinical benefits compared with those who stopped or never initiated buprenorphine therapy.
Opioid Use May Increase Susceptibility to Infection Opioid drugs affect not only the brain and, consequently, behavior, but also numerous other body systems whose cells carry opioid receptors, including the peripheral immune system.