A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests people born between 1945 and 1965 get a one-time testing for Hepatitis C virus (HCV).
Within this population is a disproportionately high prevalence of HCV infection and related disease.
People identified as having HCV infection should receive a brief screening for alcohol use and intervention as clinically indicated, followed by referral to appropriate care for HCV infection and related conditions. These recommendations do not replace previous guidelines for HCV testing that are based on known risk factors and clinical indications. Rather, they define an additional target population for testing.
Many of the 2.7 to 3.9 million people living with HCV infection are unaware they are infected and do not receive care (eg, education, counseling, and medical monitoring) and treatment. CDC estimates that although people born during 1945 to 1965 comprise an estimated 27% of the population, they account for approximately three-fourths of all HCV infections in the United States, 73% of HCV-associated mortality, and are at greatest risk for hepatocellular carcinoma and other HCV-related liver disease.
[Source: CDC]
