Changing strategies for hepatitis C testing.

Area of Science:

• Hepatology and Virology
• Infectious Disease Diagnostics
• Public Health

Background:

• Recent advancements in direct-acting antivirals and point-of-care Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening assays necessitate improved identification strategies.
• Current HCV diagnosis relies on anti-HCV immunoglobulin G detection, which indicates past or present infection, not necessarily active viraemia.

Discussion:

• Effective HCV treatment requires identifying individuals with current viraemia, necessitating a shift towards detecting HCV RNA or antigens.
• Reducing the complexity and cost of HCV nucleic acid testing and accelerating HCV antigen assay development are crucial for efficient identification.
• Developing methods for diagnosing recent HCV infection and monitoring drug-resistant strains is essential for public health surveillance.

Key Insights:

• Direct-acting antivirals and point-of-care assays are driving the need for better HCV identification methods.
• Detecting HCV viraemia is critical for initiating timely and effective treatment.
• Streamlining HCV testing and developing antigen assays will expedite the identification of viraemic individuals.

Outlook:

• Implementing advanced diagnostic and surveillance strategies enhances the potential for HCV elimination.
• Focusing on viraemia detection and rapid diagnostics will accelerate progress towards controlling HCV.
• Continued innovation in HCV testing and resistance monitoring is vital for achieving global HCV elimination goals.