Mortality Rate Now Higher for HCV Than HIV Infection in the U.S.

As many as 75% of people with HCV infection do not know that they are infected; a one-time screening holds promise for identifying and treating them.

The burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the U.S. is large with regard to morbidity and mortality and is expected to grow as this population increasingly develops cirrhosis and its associated complications, such as hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatic decompensation, and the need for liver transplantation. More worrisome is that as many as 75% of affected people are unaware of their HCV infection, in part because of persistently low rates of screening in the primary care setting.

Two new reports from the CDC compare trends in mortality from HCV, HIV, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections and compare cost-effectiveness of a one-time birth-cohort screening with current risk-based screening. Annual mortality rates for HCV, HBV, and HIV …

Reviewing Author

Atif Zaman, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Atif Zaman, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Mortality Rate Now Higher for HCV Than HIV Infection in the U.S.

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Reviewing Author