USPSTF Recommends Hepatitis C Virus Infection Screening for All Adults

In response to a spike in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection cases among young adults, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) revised its guidance and is now recommending that all adults, not just older ones get HCV screening. HCV Testing Trends The last time the USPSTF issued HCV screening guidance was back in 2013 when adults born between 1945 and 1965 accounted for an estimated three-fourths of HCV infections. Accordingly, the guidance recommended screening only for adults in that high-risk group. However, the incidence of HCV infection has grown roughly 3.8-fold between 2010 and 2017. Growth in the infection rate has particularly affected younger people, especially intravenous drug users in the age range of 20 to 39. Other the that have been hit hard include American Indian/Alaskan Native and non-Hispanic white populations, according to the USPSTF. The other significant development that prompted the organization to revisit its 2013 guidance is the availability of highly effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatments that produce higher rates of sustained virologic response with fewer serious side effects than previous interferon-containing therapies. The USPSTF Evidence Review In response to these post-2013 developments, the USPSTF commissioned a systematic evidence review to address, among other issues: Whether […]