BC guidelines for viral hepatitis testing

The government of British Columbia (BC) has updated their viral hepatitis testing guidelines which now recommends one-time HCV testing for the birth cohort 1945-65.

The guideline aims to provide guidance on the use of laboratory tests to diagnose acute and chronic viral hepatitis in adults in primary care settings. It contains key recommendations and main risk factors for hepatitis A, B and C testing and diagnosis. For the first time, the BC guidelines recommends one-time hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing for people born between 1945 and 1965 regardless of the presence of risk factors. Acknowledging that controversies exist regarding the age-range cut-offs, the government of BC has agreed to accept the recommendation for the 1945-65 age range and will not extend for now to a broader range of 1945-75 as is currently recommended in the Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver (CASL) guidelines.  

The BC Viral Hepatitis Testing guidelines are available for download via the government of British Columbia website.