Implications Of The 2012 Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (Cdc) Guidelines For Screening Hepatitis C Infection In The United States

In the United States ( US), a large number of individuals are infected with chronic Hepatitis C (HCV). The majority of patients with chronic HCV contracted the virus as a result of contaminated blood product transfusions prior to 1992 or due to intravenous drug use (IVDU). Recent guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have addressed this issue by recommending the screening of baby boomers (those individuals born between the years of 1945-1965). This review discusses risk factors for contracting HCV, potential implications of the CDC guidelines, the importance of screening and the impact these new guidelines will have on healthcare providers (HCP).