CIENCIASMEDICASNEWS: CORRECTED: CDC now recommends hepatitis C testing for all adults and pregnant women

jueves, 9 de abril de 2020

CORRECTED: CDC now recommends hepatitis C testing for all adults and pregnant women

CDC Recommendations for Hepatitis C Screening Among Adults — United States, 2020

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major source of morbidity and mortality in the United States. HCV is transmitted primarily through parenteral exposures to infectious blood or body fluids that contain blood, most commonly through injection drug use. No vaccine against hepatitis C exists and no effective pre- or postexposure prophylaxis is available. More than half of persons who become infected with HCV will develop chronic infection. Direct-acting antiviral treatment can result in a virologic cure in most persons with 8–12 weeks of all-oral medication regimens. This report augments (i.e., updates and summarizes) previously published recommendations from CDC regarding testing for HCV infection in the United States with two new recommendations:

hepatitis C screening at least once in a lifetime for all adults aged ≥18 years, except in settings where the prevalence of HCV infection is < 0.1% and
hepatitis C screening for all pregnant women during each pregnancy, except in settings where the prevalence of HCV infection is < 0.1%.

The recommendation for HCV testing that remains unchanged is regardless of age or setting prevalence, all persons with risk factors should be tested for hepatitis C, with periodic testing while risk factors persist. Any person who requests hepatitis C testing should receive it.

CDC Hepatitis C Screening Recommendations

Vital Signs- Dramatic increases in hepatitis C

The annual rate of reported acute hepatitis C tripled from 2009 to 2018 and was highest among persons aged 20–39 years. In 2018, the largest proportion of chronic hepatitis C cases occurred among persons aged 20–39 years and 50–69 years. Only 61% of adults with hepatitis C knew that they were infected.

Know More Hepatitis Campaign

An estimated 2.4 million Americans are living with hepatitis C, yet many do not know they are infected. Know More Hepatitis campaign encourages all adults to get tested for hepatitis C.