After the spread of intravenous substance use there was a significant increase of number of patients with addiction, who were infected by hepatitis C virus in our conditions. In the Centre for Treatment of Drug Dependencies in Bratislava the proportion was 22 % of all the first admissions in 2002. In cooperation with the Institute of preventive and clinical medicine we have found out of the sample of 36 addicted patients tested in the years 1998 – 2001 78 % proportion of 3a HCV genotype, which is a good responder to available antiviral treatment. A multilevel diagnostics with screening on the level of addiction care provider should therefore be a standard approach. Also there is a need to broaden epidemiological investigation on HCV to the whole country and improve the quality of the testing to achieve the level of genotyping. Pre- and post-testing counselling demands extending of the knowledge about hepatitis C in mental health professionals. Also intensification of transdisciplinary cooperation is important. Criteria for antiviral treatment indication desire higher differentiation according to patient’s condition (e.g. consideration methadone maintenance treatment) in the field of drug professionals competence, and also taking note of virus genotype to make the treatment more available to the patient.

Key words: hepatitis C – intravenous drug use – epidemiology