OVERVIEW

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that there were 16,000 new cases of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the United States in 2009. About 78 percent of individuals who test positive for anti-HCV antibody have detectable hepatitis C virus in their blood, indicating chronic infection. The greatest risk factors for HCV infection are injection drug use and transfusions before 1992. About 75 percent of patients with HCV infection were born between the years of 1945 and 1965, with the highest prevalence (4.3 percent) in people 40 to 49 years of age in 1999-2002.

HCV is a leading cause of complications from liver disease including cirrhosis, hepatic failure, hepatocellular cancer, and death. Screening for HCV infection in asymptomatic adults without a history of liver disease or known liver enzyme abnormalities may identify infected patients early, before they develop serious or irreversible liver damage.

This review aimed to assess the existing body of evidence regarding the effects of screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on clinical outcomes in asymptomatic adults, including pregnant women, without known liver enzyme abnormalities. This review, together with a complementary review on effectiveness of antiviral HCV treatments, has been used by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to update its recommendations on HCV screening.