Information for Healthcare Professionals

Posted Mon, 05/04/2009 - 15:54 by amccune

Key messages

  • Consider screening patients from countries with a higher prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) than the UK, particularly those where the prevalence of HBV and HCV is considerably higher or if other risk factors apply.
  • Screening of contacts of HBV and HCV infected patients should also be considered.
  • Individuals identified as positive should be referred for specialist assessment.

 

Anyone at risk of hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection should be offered a hepatitis test, this includes:

  • Children borns to mothers with HBV who are HBsAG positive and/or with HCV who are HCV RNA positive
  • Partners and individuals living in close contact with someone who is infected with HBV and HCV
  • Recipients of unscreened blood transfusion or blood products.
  • People from countries where hepatitis B and hepatitis C is endemic
  • Anyone who has injected drugs, even if it was only once
  • People who may have had unsterile medical or dental procedures abroad.
  • People involved in high risk sexual practices especially with a person who is HBV and/or HCV positive
  • Men who have sex with men  
  • People who may have had ear piercing, body piercing, tattooing or acupuncture with unsterile equipment. 
  • Consider for any patient with abnormal liver function tests (LFT), especially elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT).