Hepatitis C

Learning Objectives 

Upon completing the course, you will able to:

 

  1. Discuss the epidemiology of HCV and demographic characteristics of HCV infection.
  2. Discuss various prevention and control recommendations for HCV infection.
  3. List elements of a comprehensive strategy to prevent and control hepatitis C virus infection.
  4. Provide specific advice to persons with high-risk drug or sexual practices as part of HCV prevention strategy.
  5. Identify persons who should be tested routinely for hepatitis C virus infection.
  6. Identify persons with chronic hepatitis C who are recommended for treatment and those that are not.
  7. Provide HCV-specific information and prevention messages to infected persons and individuals at risk.

Evaluation of Individual Objectives

To assess th e effectiveness of the course material, we ask that you evaluate your achievement of each learning objective on a scale of A to D (A=excellent, B=good, C=fair, D=unsatisfactory). Please indicate your responses next to each learning objective and return it to us with your completed exam.

Table Of Contents

Figure 1. Reported cases of acute hepatitis C by selected risk factors– United States, 1983–1996

Epidemiology

Demographics Characteristics

Figure 2. Prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection by age and race/ethnicity– United States, 1988–1994

Transmission Modes

Screening and Diagnostic Tests

Serologic Assays

Clinical Features and Natural History

Acute HCV Infection

Chronic HCV Infection

Clinical Management and Treatment

Rationale

Blood, Plasma Derivatives, Organs, Tissues, and Semen

High-Risk Drug and Sexual Practices

Percutaneous Exposures to Blood in Health-Care and Other Settings

Health-Care Settings

Other Settings

Persons for Whom Routine HCV Testing Is Recommended

Persons Who Have Ever Injected Illegal Drugs

Persons With Selected Medical Conditions

Prior Recipients of Blood Transfusions or Organ Transplants

Health-Care, Emergency Medical, and Public Safety Workers After Needle Sticks, Sharps, or Mucosal Exposures to HCV-Positive Blood

Children Born to HCV-Positive Women

Persons for Whom Routine HCV Testing Is Not Recommended

Health-Care, Emergency Medical, and Public-Safety Workers

Pregnant Women

Household (Nonsexual) Contacts of HCV-Positive Persons

Persons for Whom Routine HCV Testing Is of Uncertain Need

Recipients of Transplanted Tissue

Intranasal Cocaine and Other Noninjecting Illegal Drug Users

Persons with a History of Tattooing or Body Piercing

Persons with a History of Multiple Sex Partners or STDs

Testing for HCV Infection

Figure 3. Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infection–testing algorithm for asymptomatic persons

Prevention Messages and Medical Evaluation

Persons with High-Risk Drug and Sexual Practices

Negative Test Results

Indeterminate Test Results

Positive Test Results

NIH Consensus Statement Regarding Management of Hepatitis C (Excerpted)

Persons Recommended for Treatment

Persons for Whom Treatment Is Unclear

Persons for Whom Treatment Is Not Recommended

Surveillance for Acute Hepatitis C

Laboratory Reports of Anti-HCV-Positive Tests

Serologic Surveys

Surveillance for Chronic Liver Disease

References

 

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