The recombinant immunoblot assay to confirm HCV infection was discontinued in the United States in 2011 and has been replaced by HCV RNA testing. Other testing methods are under investigation.
Point-of-care screening tests for HCV infection are simple and fast, with easily understood results, and may improve HCV screening efforts in nontraditional settings. They have been shown to be highly accurate for diagnosing HCV and to be more robust than rapid diagnostic tests for diagnosing HCV.
According to the most recent recommendations from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), assessing liver disease severity is an essential component of the workup for all persons with newly diagnosed chronic HCV. However, this assessment can often be accomplished with noninvasive tests. Although it is seldom required, liver biopsy should be considered if other causes of liver disease are suspected.
Evaluation for other conditions that may accelerate liver fibrosis, including HBV and HIV infections, is recommended for all persons with active HCV infection.
Learn more about the workup of HCV infection.
Medscape © 2021 WebMD, LLC
Cite this: Fast Five Quiz: Are You Prepared to Confront Hepatitis C? - Medscape - Jun 04, 2021.
Comments