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Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplantation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that 4.25 to 8.2 million people in the United States are living with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) or chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection. About 850,000 to 2.2 million people have HBV, and an additional 3.4 to 6 million people have chronic HCV. It is estimated that 45 to 85% of persons with HCV are unaware of their infection.

According to the 2015 U.S. Census Bureau population estimate for Iowa, there were 3,123,899 people residing in the state. As of December 31, 2016, there were 23,588 Iowans diagnosed with hepatitis C who were reported to IDPH. Based on this number of reports, there are likely 39,215 to 149,173 Iowans with hepatitis C infections, with 17,647 to 126,797, of these people undiagnosed.

All identified forms of viral hepatitis are reportable to the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) as mandated by Iowa Code section 139A.3. Due to the infectious nature of each form of viral hepatitis, it is necessary that each case be reported so that prevention and control efforts may be initiated by IDPH.

For questions related to reporting of HCV, please visit here or contact: Shane Scharer, Hepatitis Data Coordinator at (515) 2657-1129

IDPH performs surveillance follow up calls on Iowans diagnosed with hepatitis C under the age of 40.

CDC recommends all adults get tested for Hepatitis C.

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