Universal Emergency Room Hepatitis C Screening Finds More Cases

Offering HCV tests to everyone seen in emergency departments led to 34% more new diagnoses than traditional screening based on risk factors.  hep August 8, 2025 • By Sukanya Charuchandra

Screening all adults who visit emergency department for hepatitis C virus (HCV), regardless of their risk profile, uncovered significantly more cases than a more targeted approach, according to study findings published in JAMA. But despite improved detection, only about 1 in 10 newly diagnosed patients ultimately started treatment and achieved a functional cure, underscoring persistent gaps in follow-up care.
Over time, chronic hepatitis C can lead to serious liver complications, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. But the infection is often asymptomatic at early stages, and a majority of people are not aware they carry the virus. HCV screening has traditionally been based on risk factors, such as injection drug use. Direct-acting antiviral therapy, which has a cure rate above 90%, prevents both disease progression and onward transmission of the virus, but most people who could benefit from treatment are not getting it.

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