Majority of Hepatitis C cases in the US go untreated, new CDC report
Gabrielle M. Etzel
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Only 34% of Americans infected with Hepatitis C Virus, or HCV, since 2013 have been cured, despite available testing and treatment options, according to a report released on Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More than 1.7 million Americans were identified by the CDC study as having been infected with HCV from 2013 to 2021. Only 88% of those infected sought RNA viral testing, the most effective form of testing for HCV. Of those cured or cleared of HCV, it is unclear from the report how many received treatment or how many infections resolved naturally.
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Acute HCV can have various symptoms, including fatigue, joint pain, upset stomach, vomiting, fever, and dark urine. Chronic HCV, which does not have the same readily identifiable symptoms as the acute illness, can develop into chronic liver disease or liver cancer if left undetected.
“This simplified national HCV clearance cascade identifies substantial gaps in cure nearly a decade since highly effective direct acting antiviral (DAA) agents became available and will facilitate the process of monitoring progress toward national elimination goals,” reads the CDC report.
DAA agents for HCV consist of an eight to 12-week course and cure more than 95% of infections.
HCV is spread through blood contact, such as sharing drug paraphernalia, unclean tattoo or body piercing equipment, or sexual contact. The CDC estimates that 6% of infants born to mothers with HCV will also be infected at birth due to in-utero transmission.
In 2021 the Department of Health and Human Services launched the Viral Hepatitis National Strategic Plan “to aim for elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat in the United States.”
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Based on the findings released Friday, the CDC is recommending marked increases in access to testing and efforts to increase access to DAA treatment options.
“It is essential that increased access to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention services for persons with hepatitis C be addressed to prevent progression of disease and ongoing transmission and achieve national hepatitis C elimination goals,” the CDC said.