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Hepatitis Testing Day May 19th: Have you been tested?
May is Hepatitis Awareness Month and May 19 is Hepatitis Testing Day; a yearly observance to encourage people of all ages to get tested for viral hepatitis. Hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C are viruses that affect the liver and can cause serious health problems. In many cases, viral hepatitis goes unrecognized until a blood test is completed to determine prior exposure. There are well-established vaccines to prevent hepatitis A and B but no vaccine exists to protect against hepatitis C infection. The good news is that hepatitis C is curable but wide-spread testing is critical to identify those living with this silent but dangerous liver disease
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 2.7 million people in the United States have chronic hepatitis C and almost half are unaware of the infection. People can live with chronic hepatitis C (HCV) for years or even decades without symptoms, while the virus slowly damages the liver. By the time symptoms appear, liver damage is often advanced. If left untreated, HCV may cause severe liver scarring, cirrhosis and even liver cancer. It’s one of the leading causes for liver transplantation today.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread primarily through contact with blood from an infected person. In the past, transfusion of human-derived blood products was a primary risk for transmission along with unregulated tattoos and high risk drug use. Today, injection drug use is the most common risk factor for HCV acquisition, and accounts for more than 60% of new HCV infections. In the majority of cases, acute or new HCV infection does not cause symptoms and 15-25% of those exposed to HCV will clear the virus without treatment. The other 75-85% will develop chronic infection requiring treatment to eradicate the disease.
In April 2020, the CDC and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPTF) expanded the recommendations for hepatitis C screening. The guidance has 2 new recommendations: a one-time HCV screening test for all adults ages 18 to 79 years, and HCV screening for all pregnant women with each pregnancy. The CDC and USPTF still recommend HCV screening regardless of age if a person has risk factors for exposure such as:
• Injection drug use or intranasal illicit drug use, current or ever
• Tattoos or body piercings in an unclean environment using unsterile equipment
• Work related contact with infected blood or needles, for example, healthcare workers
• Received clotting factor concentrates produced before 1987 or a blood transfusion before 1992
• Hemodialysis
• Children born to a mother infected with hep C
• Have signs or symptoms of liver disease (e.g., abnormal liver enzyme tests)
• Living with HIV infection
• Were ever incarcerated
In addition, repeat testing for those with ongoing risk of infection is recommended. Persons who inject drugs and men living with HIV who have unprotected sex with men should have a yearly HCV screening test.
Testing is the only way to know if you have HCV infection. The screening test is a simple blood test. Ask your medical provider for a test and if the test is positive, take steps to get treated. Treatment is short in duration (typically 8-12 weeks), very well-tolerated, and highly effective with cure rates 95% or greater.

Recent legislative efforts to improve treatment access have paid off. As of January 2020, Maryland Medicaid lifted liver fibrosis restrictions to allow access to treatment regardless of the degree of liver damage. Prior to this change, persons with minimal liver damage due to HCV were often denied curative treatment. With improved access to treatment and prevention education, HCV elimination is achievable. If you are at risk of HCV or know someone who is, don’t wait to be offered a screening test. Take charge of your health and seek an HCV test today. Know your HCV status.
Call the Johns Hopkins Viral Hepatitis Program office located in the Allegany County Health Department for questions or appointments at 301-759-5101.