Should EDs Be Screening for Hepatitis C Virus Infection?

The CDC recommends that emergency departments (EDs) screen all patients for HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This is important to prevent transmission and because effective treatment is available for HIV and curative treatment is available for HCV. Using blood that had been collected for an HIV prevalence study in 2008–2009, investigators analyzed HCV seroprevalence among consecutive patients (aged 18 to 64 years) in a single Midwestern ED.

Of 924 patients whose samples were tested, 14% were positive for HCV antibodies. Of patients who tested positive, only 34% reported a history of HCV or hepatitis of unknown type. Thus the prevalence of unknown HCV infection was 4.8% (0.14 x 0.34).