Only those with current infection as evidenced by a positive HCV RNA test need treatment. Recent data reveal that up to approximately half of people who test anti-HCV positive do not have current chronic infection ( 1), indicating they may have experienced spontaneous clearance after acute infection. Is it possible for someone to become infected with HCV and then spontaneously clear the infection?

Children born to mothers with HCV infection.

Health care, emergency medical, and public safety personnel after needle sticks, sharps, or mucosal exposures to HCV-positive blood.

Prior recipients of transfusions or organ transplants, including people who received clotting factor concentrates produced before 1987, people who received a transfusion of blood or blood components before July 1992, people who received an organ transplant before July 1992, and people who were notified that they received blood from a donor who later tested positive for HCV infection.

People with selected medical conditions, including those who ever received maintenance hemodialysis ( 4, 5).

Current or former people who use injection drugs (PWID), including those who injected only once many years ago.

The following people are at increased risk for hepatitis C: Who is at risk for hepatitis C infection?

What is the prevalence of chronic hepatitis C infection in the United States?Īn estimated 2.4 million people in the United States were living with hepatitis C during 2013–2016 ( 3). More information on hepatitis C surveillance is available from CDC. After adjusting for under-ascertainment and under-reporting, an estimated 57,500 acute hepatitis C cases occurred in 2019.

In 2019, a total of 4,136 cases of acute hepatitis C were reported to CDC ( 2). How many new HCV infections occur annually in the United States?

Case definitions for acute hepatitis C and chronic hepatitis C are available. What are the case definitions for reportable hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections?Ĭase definitions have been developed by CDC, in collaboration with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, to provide uniform clinical and laboratory-testing criteria for the identification and reporting of nationally notifiable infectious diseases.

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