Corrections Connection, Oct. 8, 2007 Because of the unsteady support for treatment, the "Infectious Diseases in Corrections Report" spotlights a cutting-edge strategy by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice that identifies patients most appropriate for HCV therapy while avoiding the expense of a liver biopsy. Dr. David Paar, director of Clinical Virology at UTMB's Correctional Managed Care, investigates why and how TDCJ uses the hepatic fibrosis serum marker, known as the AST Platelet Ratio Index, in its HCV evaluation and treatment guidelines.