Who Should Be Tested

Approximately 75% of all adults infected with chronic HCV infection are baby boomers. Within any practice that’s about 1 in 30 that have been infected. Baby boomers are 5X more likely to have hepatitis C than any other adults from other generations. Most baby boomers don’t know how or when they were infected but many may have been infected during the 1970s and 1980s through:

Blood transfusions or other health care exposures (widespread blood screening began in 1992)
At risk behaviors

Other Risk Factors that include the likelihood of infection are:

		• Known exposures -- Received blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992 -- Received clotting factor before 1987
		• Are a chronic hemodialysis patient
		• Had an accidental needlestick incident with a used needle
		• Are a military veteran (especially Vietnam Veterans)
		• Shared toothbrushes, razors, etc. with a person who has hepatitis C
		• Had unprotected sex with a person with hepatitis C
		• Were born to a mother who has hepatitis C
		• Have an unregulated tattoo or body piercings
		• Ever been incarcerated or worked in a jail or prison
		• Have shared an injection needle, works or intranasal devices for illicit drug use - Even Once
		• Have select medical contitions: • Have unexplained chronic liver disease and hepatitis including increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels • Have been diagnosed with HIV