Bibliographic information
GuidelineConsolidated guidelines on HIV, viral hepatitis and STI prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for key populations
Year of Publication2022
Issuing InstitutionWHO
Recommendation
New
People at ongoing risk and a history of treatment-induced or spontaneous clearance of HCV infection may be offered 3–6-monthly testing for presence of HCV viremia
Recommended in favor
Conditional
Certainty of evidence
Very low
Notes and Remarks
Remarks:
- Testing should be voluntary and not be used to further stigmatize any populations at ongoing risk.
- Testing should be offered alongside primary prevention services that are evidence-based and reduce transmission risks, and in combination with appropriate treatment access and linkage.
- To detect presence of viremic infection, the use of quantitative or qualitative nucleic acid testing (NAT) for detection of HCV RNA, or alternatively an assay to detect HCV core antigen, can be performed.