Screening for Hepatitis C in Adults

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Release Date: March 2004

Summary of Recommendations / Supporting Documents

Summary of Recommendation

• The USPSTF recommends against routine screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in asymptomatic adults who are not at increased risk (general population) for infection.

  Rating: D Recommendation.

  Rationale: The USPSTF found good evidence that screening with available tests can detect HCV infection in the general population. The prevalence of HCV infection in the general population is low, and most who are infected do not develop cirrhosis or other major negative health outcomes. There is no evidence that screening for HCV infection leads to improved long-term health outcomes, such as decreased cirrhosis, hepatocellular cancer, or mortality. Although there is good evidence that anti-viral therapy improves intermediate outcomes, such as viremia, there is limited evidence that such treatment improves long-term health outcomes. The current treatment regimen is long and costly and is associated with a high patient dropout rate due to adverse effects. Potential harms of screening include unnecessary biopsies and labeling, although there is limited evidence to determine the magnitude of these harms. As a result, the USPSTF concluded that the potential harms of screening for HCV infection in adults who are not at increased risk for HCV infection are likely to exceed potential benefits.

• The USPSTF found insufficient evidence to recommend for or against routine screening for HCV infection in adults at high risk for infection.

  Rating: I Recommendation.

  Rationale: The USPSTF found no evidence that screening for HCV infection in adults at high risk (go to Clinical Considerations) leads to improved long-term health outcomes, although the yield of screening would be substantially higher in a high-risk population than in an average-risk population and there is good evidence that anti-viral therapy improves intermediate outcomes, such as viremia. There is, as yet, no evidence that newer treatment regimens for HCV infection, such as pegylated interferon plus ribavirin, improve long-term health outcomes. There is limited evidence from non-U.S. studies that older therapies have some long-term health benefits for patients referred for treatment, but the generalizability of these results to the U.S. population is unknown. Of those infected with HCV, the proportion who progress to liver disease is uncertain. There is limited evidence that 10% to 20% of patients with chronic HCV infection develop cirrhosis within 20 to 30 years after infection. There is also limited evidence that available treatments are effective in preventing cirrhosis in patients with asymptomatic HCV infection. Potential harms of screening and treatment include labeling, adverse treatment effects, and unnecessary biopsies, although there is limited evidence to determine the magnitude of these harms. As a result, the USPSTF could not determine the balance of benefits and harms of screening for HCV infection in adults at increased risk for infection.

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Supporting Documents

Screening for Hepatitis C Virus Infection, March 2004
Recommendation Statement (PDF File, 200 KB; PDF Help)
Review of the Evidence (PDF File, 380 KB; PDF Help)
Systematic Evidence Review (PDF Files Download)
What's New from the USPSTF (PDF File, 197 KB; PDF Help)

Screening for Hepatitis C Virus Infection, November 2004
Meaning of the Task Force "I" Recommendation

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Current as of November 2004

Internet Citation:

Screening for Hepatitis C Virus Infection, Topic Page. November 2004. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspshepc.htm