Hepatitic C virus (HCV) targets the liver - our body's largest internal organ- and is the most common infectious diseases in the US. HCV is transmitted by direct blood-to-blood exposure. Most people do not have signs or symptoms of HCV. The natural history of HCV shows that 15-20% of people who are infected with HCV clear the virus without treatment, but most people infected develop chronic disease, which can progress to cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.

The HCV epidemic especially affects the baby boomer population (people born 1945-1965) and people who inject drugs. There is no vaccine to prevent HCV but there are medications that can cure HCV.

The data above may not indicate an increase in chronic hepatitis C infections but may be a result of increased screening efforts. Newly diagnosed chronic hepatitis C numbers in 2020 need to be interpreted with caution due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stay at home orders significantly affected laboratory testing and hepatitis C screening.

These data are current as of June 2021. 2021 data are expected May 2021.

Connecticut Department of Public Health partners include but are not limited to:  CT residents; local public health jurisdictions;  laboratories; Primary Care Providers (PCPs); HCV treatment specialists; Community Health Centers (CHCs); CT Department of Correction (DOC); CT Department of Social Services; Syringe Service Programs (SSPs); State Department of Education and academic institutions; hospital, clinics and health care facilities;  substance abuse treatment and medication assisted treatment facilities; professional organizations; CT Division of Criminal Justice; CT Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA Hospital).

 CDC recommends univeral screening for hepatitis C (HCV) among adults at least once in a lifetime, except in settings where the prevalence of HCV infection (HCV RNA‑positivity) is less than 0.1% and HCV screening for all pregnant women during each pregnancy, except in settings where the prevalence of HCV infection (HCV RNA‑positivity) is less than 0.1%. In addtion, one‑time HCV testing regardless of age or setting prevalence among people with recognized conditions or exposures:

• People with HIV
• People who ever injected drugs and shared needles, syringes, or other drug preparation equipment, including those who injected once or a few times many years ago
• People with selected medical conditions, including: people who ever received maintenance hemodialysis
• People with persistently abnormal ALT levels
• Prior recipients of transfusions or organ transplants, including: people who received clotting factor concentrates produced before 1987; people who received a transfusion of blood or blood components before July 1992; people who received an organ transplant before July 1992; people who were notified that they received blood from a donor who later tested positive for HCV infection
• Health care, emergency medical, and public safety personnel after needle sticks, sharps, or mucosal exposures to HCV‑positive blood
• Children born to mothers with HCV infection

Routine periodic testing should be conducted for people with ongoing risk factors, while risk factors persist and any person who requests HCV testing should receive it, regardless of disclosure of risk.

HCV treatment and management guidelines, updated regularly by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) are available at:   https://www.hcvguidelines.org.

• Increase DPH Hepatitis Program state funding to improve hepatitis surveillance and prevention capacity, activities and policies.
• Continue to develop the DPH Hepatitis C Data for CURE (D4C) pilot program initiated at 3 local health jurisdictions in order to develop a HCV local health jurisdiction follow-up protocol that improves identification, linkage to care and treatment. 
• Continue to expand HCV testing and treatment especially with in the target populations including the incarcerated population and HIV-HCV coinfected patients.