Hepatitis B (HepB) vaccines have demonstrated safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy during the past 4 decades (1,2). The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends universal HepB vaccination for adults aged 19-59 years, including pregnant persons, and adults aged ≥60 years with risk factors for hepatitis B. Adults aged ≥60 years without known risk factors for hepatitis B may also receive HepB vaccines (2).

New U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing of perinatally exposed infants and children released in 2023 recommend a nucleic acid test (NAT) for detection of HCV ribonucleic acid (i.e., NAT for HCV RNA) at 2-6 months of age to facilitate early identification and linkage to care for children with perinatally acquired HCV infection. Untreated hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and premature death and is caused by HCV, a blood-borne virus transmitted most often among adults through injection drug use in the United States. Perinatal exposure from a birth parent with HCV infection is the most frequent mode of HCV transmission among infants and children. New HCV infections have been increasing since 2010, with the highest rates of infection among people aged 20-39 years, leading to an increasing prevalence of HCV infection during pregnancy. In 2020, the CDC recommended one-time HCV screening for all adults aged 18 years and older and for all pregnant persons during each pregnancy. Detecting HCV infection during pregnancy is key for the identification of pregnant persons, linkage to care for postpartum treatment, and identification of infants with perinatal exposure for HCV testing. It was previously recommended that children who were exposed to HCV during pregnancy receive an antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) test at 18 months of age; however, most children were lost to follow-up before testing occurred, leaving children with perinatal infection undiagnosed. The new strategy of testing perinatally exposed children at age 2-6 months was found to be cost-effective in increasing the identification of infants who might develop chronic hepatitis C. This report describes the current perinatal HCV testing recommendations and how they advance national hepatitis C elimination efforts by improving the health of pregnant and postpartum people and their children.

The elimination of hepatitis C is a national priority (https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/Viral-Hepatitis-National-Strategic-Plan-2021-2025.pdf). During 2010-2021, hepatitis C virus (HCV) acute and chronic infections (hereinafter referred to as HCV infections) increased in the United States, consequences of which include cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death. Rates of acute infections more than tripled among reproductive-aged persons during this time (from 0.8 to 2.5 per 100,000 population among persons aged 20-29 years and from 0.6 to 3.5 among persons aged 30-39 years). Because acute HCV infection can lead to chronic infection, this has resulted in increasing rates of HCV infections during pregnancy. Approximately 6%-7% of perinatally exposed (i.e., exposed during pregnancy or delivery) infants and children will acquire HCV infection. Curative direct-acting antiviral therapy is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for persons aged ≥3 years. However, many perinatally infected children are not tested or linked to care. In 2020, because of continued increases in HCV infections in the United States, CDC released universal screening recommendations for adults, which included recommendations for screening for pregnant persons during each pregnancy (Schillie S, Wester C, Osborne M, Wesolowski L, Ryerson AB. CDC recommendations for hepatitis C screening among adults-United States, 2020. MMWR Recomm Rep 2020;69[No. RR-2]:1-17). This report introduces four new CDC recommendations: 1) HCV testing of all perinatally exposed infants with a nucleic acid test (NAT) for detection of HCV RNA at age 2-6 months; 2) consultation with a health care provider with expertise in pediatric hepatitis C management for all infants and children with detectable HCV RNA; 3) perinatally exposed infants and children with an undetectable HCV RNA result at or after age 2 months do not require further follow-up unless clinically warranted; and 4) a NAT for HCV RNA is recommended for perinatally exposed infants and children aged 7-17 months who previously have not been tested, and a hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV) test followed by a reflex NAT for HCV RNA (when anti-HCV is reactive) is recommended for perinatally exposed children aged ≥18 months who previously have not been tested. Proper identification of perinatally infected children, referral to care, and curative treatment are critical to achieving the goal of hepatitis C elimination.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the optimal testing strategy to identify children with perinatally acquired hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. STUDY DESIGN: We used a decision-tree framework with a Markov disease progression model to conduct an economic analysis of four strategies, based on combinations of type and timing of test: Anti-HCV with reflex to HCV RNA at 18 months among children known to be perinatally exposed (ie, baseline comparison strategy); HCV RNA testing at 2-6 months among infants known to be perinatally exposed (Test Strategy 1); universal anti-HCV with reflex to HCV RNA at 18 months among all children (Test Strategy 2); universal HCV RNA testing at 2-6 months among all infants (Test Strategy 3). We estimated total cost, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and disease sequalae for each strategy. RESULTS: Each of the three alternative testing strategies resulted in an increased number of children tested and improved health outcomes. HCV RNA testing at 2-6 months (Test Strategy 1) was cost-saving and resulted in a population-level difference in cost of $469,671. The two universal testing strategies resulted in an increase in QALYs and an increase in total costs. CONCLUSIONS: Testing of perinatally exposed infants at age 2-6 months with a single HCV RNA test will reduce costs and improve health outcomes, preventing morbidity and mortality associated with complications from perinatal HCV infections.

Background: RCTs demonstrated the newest LTBI regimen, 12 weekly doses of directly observed isoniazid and rifapentine (3HP), as efficacious as 9 months of isoniazid (9H) with a greater completion rate (82% versus 69%); however, 3HP has not been assessed in routine health care settings. Methods: Observational cohort of LTBI patients receiving 3HP through 16 US programs was used to assess treatment completion, adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and factors associated with treatment discontinuation. Results: Of 3288 patients eligible to complete 3HP, 2867 (87.2%) completed treatment. Children 2-17 years had the highest completion rate, 94.5% (155/164). Patients reporting homelessness had a completion rate of 81.2% (147/181). In univariable analyses, discontinuation was lowest among children (relative risk [RR], 0.44 [95% CI, 0.23-0.85]; P = .014), and highest in persons ≥65 years (RR, 1.72 [95% CI, 1.25-2.35] P = .001). In multivariable analyses, discontinuation was lowest among contacts of patients with TB disease (adjusted relative risk [ARR], 0.68 [95% CI, 0.52-0.89]; P = .005), and students (ARR, 0.45 [95% CI, 0.21-0.98]; P = .044); highest with incarceration (ARR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.08-1.89]; P=.013) and homelessness (ARR, 1.72 [95% CI, 1.25-2.39]; P = .001). ADRs were reported by 1174 (35.7%) patients, of whom 891 (76.0%) completed treatment. Conclusions: Completion of 3HP in routine health care settings was greater overall than rates reported from clinical trials, and greater than historically observed using other regimens among reportedly nonadherent populations. Widespread use of 3HP for LTBI treatment could accelerate elimination of TB disease in the United States.