Hepatitis C

Disease Information

Hepatitis C (formerly called non-A, non-B hepatitis) is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus. Other types of viral hepatitis include hepatitis A (formerly called infectious hepatitis), hepatitis B (serum hepatitis), hepatitis D (delta hepatitis) and hepatitis E (a virus transmitted through the feces of an infected person).

In 2015, Oregon published its first viral hepatitis epidemiologic profile - Viral Hepatitis in Oregon (pdf) - in collaboration with an advisory group that included other OHA programs and state agencies, local health departments, academic partners, health systems, community-based agencies and community members. The goals of the report are to increase public and professional awareness of screening recommendations for treatment of HCV; provide useful data to local health departments, other state agencies, and health care providers and systems for planning purposes; and inform policies for viral Hepatitis prevention and care.

Disease Reporting

What is required?

Health Care Providers

All cases of acute hepatits C are required by law to be reported to local health departments within one working day of identification.

Disease reporting form (pdf) for health care practitioners
See the Disease Reporting page for information on how to report and for telephone numbers of local health departments.

Clinical Laboratories

Clinical laboratories are required by law to report cases and suspect cases of hepatitis C to local health departments within one working day of identification.

See the Disease Reporting page for information on how to report and for telephone numbers of local health departments.

For Local Health Departments

HCV Reporting

HCV Testing

The CDC recommends universal screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV).¹ Of the estimated four-million Americans age 18 and older living with HCV, nearly half are unaware of their infection.² Universal testing recommendations are designed to diagnose and link-to-care people regardless of risk factors. Persons living with HCV infection who are unaware of their status do not receive needed support (e.g., harm reduction services, transmission-prevention education, counseling, or medical monitoring) and treatment.

Recommendations for periodic screening include:

All pregnant women during each pregnancy, except in settings where the prevalence of HCV infection (HCV RNA-positivity) is less than 0.1%
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
People who currently inject drugs and share needles, syringes, or other drug preparation equipment

Oregon ranks 3^rd in the nation for highest HCV-related mortality.³ Ensuring that any person who requests hepatitis C testing receives it, regardless of stated risk, increases the likelihood of changing this stark reality.

Testing Resources for Clinicians