Risk Of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Research Articles

Hepatitis C virus infection is a risk factor for non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A MOOSE-compliant meta-analysis.

Previous studies have reached conflicting results regarding the possibility that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may increase the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). We performed a meta-analysis to clarify the relationship between HCV infection and development of NHL. The PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched for relevant studies estimating the association between HCV infection and NHL risk through October 31, 2017. Fixed effects or random effects models were used to calculate the pooled odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. We found a positive association between HCV infection and NHL (pooled OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.40–2.03, P < .05). In conclusion, our meta-analysis suggested that HCV infection was associated with increased risk of developing NHL.

Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus and HIV Infection Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic in Western Ethiopia.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV infection remain a major public health challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa. The HCV and HIV infection among pregnant women have a serious outcome on maternal and newborn health. There is limited information in this regards in West part of Ethiopia. This study aims to identify the sero- prevalence and predictor factors of HCV and HIV infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) in Western Ethiopia.Methods: An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from July to September, 2014 among 421 pregnant women's attending ANC services in purposively selected health facilities of western Ethiopia. The HCV and HIV infections were diagnosed by detection antibodies from aseptically collected serum sample. HCV was identified using an enzyme linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) while HIV infection was tested with rapid HIV tests following the national HIV test algorithm. The pretested and structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data, and potential predictor factors of HCV and HIV infection. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 statistical software.Result: The overall sero-prevalence of HCV and HIV among the study population was 8.1% and 1.0%, respectively. The prevalence of HCV/HIV co-infection was 0.23% (1/421). Among HIV infected women, the prevalence of HCV infection was 25% (1/4). The risk of HCV infection was significantly low for urban residents (AOR = 0.38, 95%CI: 0.16-0.90) and illiterate (AOR = 0.24, 95%CI: 0.06-0.85). However, the history of blood transfusion was significantly increases the risk of HIV infection (AOR = 19.52, 95%CI: 1.80-150.6).Conclusion: Our study confirms public health importance of HCV and HIV infections among pregnant women in the study area. The study suggests need of attention for rural residents and educated segment of the population for HCV prevention, and national blood blank to check HIV test method used for blood transfusion.

Hepatitis C infection among pregnant women in central Poland: Significance of epidemiological anamnesis and impact of screening tests to detect infection

Mother-to-child transmission is one of the main sources of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in children. However, because of the asymptomatic course of the illness, certain women may not be aware of their infection. The aim of this study was to estimate the significance of epidemiological anamnesis in diagnoses of HCV infection in women of reproductive age and to evaluate how screening among pregnant women impacts the detection of HCV infection. Epidemiological interviews of 432 mothers infected with HCV (but free of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)) were conducted in the Warsaw Hospital for Infectious Diseases (Poland) from 1998 to 2012. Complaints or abnormalities in laboratory tests were the reasons for anti-HCV antibody testing in 28.2% of mothers, whereas specific interview responses or occupational health care services group affiliation were the reasons for testing in 35.6%. However, in a large group of women, infection was only detected because of screening examinations. The introduction of routine screening for pregnant women (since 2010 in Poland) has led to the increased detection of HCV infection in women who did not present with infection risk factors (9.9% before 2010 vs 46.1% after 2010). This practice has also led to an increase in the percentage of women diagnosed during pregnancy (21.5% before 2010 vs 30.8% after 2010). Establishing HCV infection risk factors during the interview process is the most common indicator for serological testing; however, not all infected cases can be diagnosed in this manner. Screening for anti-HCV antibodies in pregnant women increases the detection of HCV infection in this group.

THE PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION AND POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS AMONG MULTIPLY TRANSFUSED PATIENTS

Objective: Patients who frequently receive blood have high risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HCV infection and potential risk factors among multiply transfused patients.Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted in the hemophilia unit in Medical City in Baghdad, between June 1, 2016, and January 1, 2017. After taking consents and approval of ethical comity, the medical records of 1158 patients with hemophilia A and B, von Willebrand disease (vWD), thrombasthenia, Factors VII, X, and XIII deficiencies, and hypofibrinogenemia were analyzed for the presence of HCV antibody using (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Cases of hemophilia were classified into mild, moderate, and severe.Results: The prevalence of HCV infection was 13.2%. Of total, 595 (51.4%) patients had hemophilia A and 99 (16.6%) were anti-HCV positive, while 225 (19.4%) had hemophilia B and 28 (12.4%) were antibody positive compared to 9 (7%) in vWD. Of those with hemophilia A, 515 (86.6%) had severe hemophilia, and 32 (32.32%) cases had acquired HCV infection after 1996 (after introduction of HCV screening in blood banks in Iraq). There was a statistically significant association with treatment by Factor VIII only.Conclusion: The prevalence of HCV in patients with inherited bleeding disorder is 13.2%. In this study, it was found that multitransfusion is the only predictor for HCV infection in this group of patients.

THE PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION AND POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS AMONG MULTIPLY TRANSFUSED PATIENTS

Objective: Patients who frequently receive blood have high risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HCV infection and potential risk factors among multiply transfused patients.Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted in the hemophilia unit in Medical City in Baghdad, between June 1, 2016, and January 1, 2017. After taking consents and approval of ethical comity, the medical records of 1158 patients with hemophilia A and B, von Willebrand disease (vWD), thrombasthenia, Factors VII, X, and XIII deficiencies, and hypofibrinogenemia were analyzed for the presence of HCV antibody using (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Cases of hemophilia were classified into mild, moderate, and severe.Results: The prevalence of HCV infection was 13.2%. Of total, 595 (51.4%) patients had hemophilia A and 99 (16.6%) were anti-HCV positive, while 225 (19.4%) had hemophilia B and 28 (12.4%) were antibody positive compared to 9 (7%) in vWD. Of those with hemophilia A, 515 (86.6%) had severe hemophilia, and 32 (32.32%) cases had acquired HCV infection after 1996 (after introduction of HCV screening in blood banks in Iraq). There was a statistically significant association with treatment by Factor VIII only.Conclusion: The prevalence of HCV in patients with inherited bleeding disorder is 13.2%. In this study, it was found that multitransfusion is the only predictor for HCV infection in this group of patients.

Infectious risk of plasma donations: relationship to safety of intravenous immune globulins

Although intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) preparations may be derived from tens of thousands of donations, the residual risk of viral contamination of recovered plasma appears remarkably low, at least for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). Consequently, most pools are unlikely to contain these viruses although the situation is not as well understood for US-derived source plasma. In addition, routine preparation methods are likely to eliminate infectivity from the relatively fragile HIV. Current plasma screening measures are generally designed to maintain reasonable titres of anti-HBs in pools, perhaps contributing to the absence of HBV infection. The situation with respect to hepatitis C virus (HCV) is not well understood and it appears that sensitive screening for anti-HCV may have had an impact on the safety of at least one IVIG preparation. The implementation of effective viral inactivation procedures is expected to eliminate any further risk of HCV infection from IVIG preparations.

Housing Stability and Hepatitis C Infection for Young Adults Who Inject Drugs: Examining the Relationship of Consistent and Intermittent Housing Status on HCV Infection Risk

Background: Housing status affects drug-using behaviors, but less is known about the relationship between housing patterns and hepatitis c virus (HCV) infection. Methods: HCV-negative young people who inject drugs (PWID) were enrolled into a prospective cohort (2003-2019) with quarterly study visits. We used Cox regression to estimate the independent association of recent housing status (housed vs. unhoused, housing stability, and housing trajectory), on HCV incidence. Findings: Among 712 participants, 245 incident HCV infections occurred over 963·8 person-years (py) (cumulative incidence: 24·4/100py). An inverse relationship between time housed and HCV incidence was observed (always unhoused: 45·0/100py, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 37·1, 54·5; variably housed: 18·0/100py, 95% CI: 15·0, 21·3; and always housed: 7·0/100py, 95% CI: 3·0, 17·3). In Cox regression models controlling for confounders, those unhoused versus housed at baseline had a 1·9-fold increased infection risk (95% CI: 1·4, 2·6). Those always unhoused versus always housed had a 1·5-times greater risk of HCV (95% CI: 1·0, 2·3), and those variably housed had a lower risk (adjusted relative hazard: 0·05, 95% CI: 0·3, 0·9) with a similar trend for those being housed for less time. Interpretation: For this group of PWID, our findings indicate that some frequency of residential housing may protects HCV infection. Funding Statement: NIH/NIDA Grant R01DA16017, NIH/NIDA Grant K01DA037802. Declaration of Interests: The authors state that they do not have any conflicts of interest related to this work. Ethics Approval Statement: This study was reviewed by the Institutional Review Board at the University of California, San Francisco (#10-00063). Participants completed written consent.

Epidemiological survey of hepatitis C in a region considered to have high prevalence: the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is affected by demographic, virological, clinical, and lifestyle-related factors and varies in different regions in Brazil or worldwide. The present study aimed to clarify the epidemiological patterns of HCV infection in the interior region of Brazil. This study was conducted in the Southern Triangle Macro-region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, according to the guidelines of the National Program for the Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis. The participants answered a structured questionnaire on social and epidemiological factors. Immunochromatographic rapid tests were used for the qualitative detection of antibodies against HCV in whole blood (Alere HCV® Code 02FK10) in adult subjects by a free-standing method. Of 24,085 tested individuals, 184 (0.76%) were anti-HCV positive. The majority of anti-HCV-positive individuals were born between 1951 and 1980 (n=146 [79.3%]), with 68 women and 116 men. Identified risk factors included syringe and/or needle sharing (p = 0.003), being in prison (p = 0.004), and having tattoos or piercings (p = 0.005) and were significantly associated with the decade of birth. The study shows the importance of testing populations at risk for HCV infection, including incarcerated individuals, those with tattoos or piercings, those who share or have shared syringes or needles, and those in high-risk birth cohorts (1950s, 1960s, and 1970s) in the Southern Triangle Macro-region.

Hepatitis C in pregnant American Indian and Alaska Native women; 2003-2015

ABSTRACT Recent reports have found a rise in Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in reproductive age women in the USA. Surveillance data suggests one group that is at increased risk of HCV infection is the American Indian and Alaska Native population (AI/AN). Using the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) birth certificate and the Indian Health Services, Tribal, and Urban Indian (IHS) databases, we evaluated reported cases of HCV infection in pregnant women between 2003 and 2015. In the NCHS database, 38 regions consistently reported HCV infection. The percentage of mothers who were known to have HCV infection increased between 2011 and 2015 in both the AI/AN population (0.57% to 1.19%, p < 0.001) and the non-AI/AN population (0.21% to 0.36%, p < 0.001). The IHS database confirmed these results. Individuals with hepatitis B infection or intravenous drug use (IDU) had significantly higher odds of HCV infection (OR 16.4 and 17.6, respectively). In total, 62% of HCV-positive women did not have IDU recorded. This study demonstrates a significant increase in the proportion of pregnant women infected with HCV between 2003 and 2015. This increase was greater in AI/AN women than non-AI/AN women. This highlights the need for HCV screening and prevention in pregnant AI/AN women.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in patients hospitalised for ischemic heart disease versus controls - PRO-CARDIO-C study.

Aim of the studyOngoing national screening programmes suggest that the prevalence of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in Poland ranges between 0.5% and 1%. It has been recently noted that patients with confirmed coronary artery disease may be at higher risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.Material and methodsTesting for the presence of anti-HCV antibodies was performed in a group of patients admitted to the Cardiology Department with symptomatic ischemic heart disease (IHD) and in patients hospitalised in the Dermatology Department.ResultsA total of 1171 patients underwent anti-HCV testing: 672 patients in the Cardiology Department (K group) and 499 patients in the Dermatology Department (D group). Twenty-eight (2.4%) positive anti-HCV results were detected. The prevalence of positive anti-HCV antibodies in groups K and D was 2.23% and 2.61%, respectively (p > 0.05). Presence of HCV RNA was confirmed in 15 cases (1.28%) – 7 patients in group K and 8 patients in group D (1.04% and 1.6%, respectively; p > 0.05).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that this patient cohort has increased risk of HCV infection, which may influence screening strategies.

Hepatitis C Virus Diagnostics: The Road to Simplification.

Hepatitis C Virus Diagnostics: The Road to Simplification.

HCV seroconversion in a cohort of people who use drugs followed in a mobile harm reduction unit in Madrid: Breaking barriers for HCV elimination

Background and aimsHarm reduction strategies have been shown to decrease the incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in people who inject drugs (PWID), but the results have been inconsistent when it comes to prevention of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We aimed to examine the rate of HCV seroconversion among people who use drugs (PWUD) followed at a mobile harm reduction unit (MHRU) to evaluate if a low-threshold methadone substitution program (LTMSP) is associated with a low HCV seroconversion rate and subsequently identify barriers for elimination.Materials and methodsA cohort of PWUD have been followed at a MRHU in Madrid between 2013 and 2016. Individuals who were negative for HCV antibodies at baseline and who had at least one retest for HCV antibodies were eligible. Kaplan-Meier methods were employed to estimate the global incidence density.ResultsDuring the study period, 946 PWUD were screened for HCV at least once. At baseline 127 PWUD were negative for HCV antibodies and had at least one follow-up HCV antibodies test. The baseline HCV prevalence was 33%. After a median 0.89 (IQR 0.3–1.5) years of follow-up and 135 person-years of risk for HCV infection, 28 subjects seroconverted. The incidence density for HCV seroconversion for this sample was 20.7 cases (95% CI: 14.3–29.7) per 100 person-years. Injecting drugs in the last year was strongly associated to HCV seroconversion (AHR 15.5, 95%CI 4.3–55.8, p < 0.001). Methadone status was not associated to HCV seroconversion.ConclusionsA high incidence of HCV infection was found among PWUD at a MHRU in Madrid. In this setting opiate substitutive treatment (OST) as a LTMSP does not appear to protect against HCV seroconversion.

Genetic Factors That Affect Spontaneous Clearance of Hepatitis C or B Virus, Response to Treatment, and Disease Progression

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections can lead to cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Over the past decade, studies of individuals infected with these viruses have established genetic associations with the probability of developing a chronic infection, risk of disease progression, and likelihood of treatment response. We review genetic and genomic methods that have been used to study risk of HBV and HCV infection and patient outcomes. For example, genome-wide association studies have linked a region containing the interferon lambda genes to spontaneous and treatment-induced clearance of HCV. We review the genetic variants associated with HCV and HBV infection, and how these variants affect specific expression or activities of their products. Further studies of these variants could provide insights into risk factors for and mechanisms of chronic infection and disease progression, as well as new strategies for treatment.

Approaches, Progress, and Challenges to Hepatitis C Vaccine Development

Risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection vary, and there were an estimated 1.75 million new cases worldwide in 2015. The World Health Organization aims for a 90% reduction in new HCV infections by 2030. An HCV vaccine would prevent transmission, regardless of risk factors, and significantly reduce the global burden of HCV-associated disease. Barriers to development include virus diversity, limited models for testing vaccines, and our incomplete understanding of protective immune responses. Although highly effective vaccines could prevent infection altogether, immune responses that increase the rate of HCV clearance and prevent chronic infection may be sufficient to reduce disease burden. Adjuvant envelope or core protein and virus-vectored nonstructural antigen vaccines have been tested in healthy volunteers who are not at risk for HCV infection; viral vectors encoding nonstructural proteins are the only vaccine strategy to be tested in at-risk individuals. Despite development challenges, a prophylactic vaccine is necessary for global control of HCV.

From the Editor’s Desk…: October 2018

From the Editor’s Desk…: October 2018

A systematic analysis of multiple myeloma and the related risk of HBV and HCV infection

Objective This study aimed to assess the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) by systematic analysis. Methods The literature was retrieved in 4 English databases (PubMed, Web of science, OVID, Cochrane Library) and 3 Chinese databases (CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang) as of september 2016. The key word in English/ Chinese database retrieval is MM or multiple myeloma and infection . Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the article quality. The overall odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated by fixed (heterogeneity test at I2<25%) or random (heterogeneity test at I2≥25%) effects model. Results A total of 9 studies were included in the Meta analysis. The study found that multiple myeloma patients had an increased risk of HBV and HCV infection, 3.17 and 4.16 times higher than the control group. HBV (OR=3.17, 95% CI: 1.17-1.96, I2=27%, P=0.002) and HCV (OR=4.16, 95% CI: 1.33-2.22, I2=0%, P<0.001) in the multiple myeloma group were significantly different from those of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions HBV and HCV are risk factors for multiple myeloma and should be highly regarded and controlled before and after treatment. Key words: Multiple myeloma/CO; Hepatitis B/CO; Hepatitis C/CO; Meta-analysis

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus in young people who inject drugs in four Colombian cities: A cross-sectional study using Respondent Driven Sampling

BackgroundColombia has a growing population of young people who inject drugs (PWID). Despite the previously reported association of injection drug use with hepatitis c virus (HCV) in other countries, studies on HCV prevalence in PWID in Colombia are lacking. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence, demographics, and correlations of risky injection behaviours in HCV seropositive PWID in four Colombian cities (Armenia, Bogotá, Cúcuta and Pereira). MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study carried out between January and June of 2014 that included 918 PWID from four Colombian cities, recruited by Respondent Driven Sampling. A survey was administered to each participant, and blood samples were collected. Binary logistic regression and multivariate analyses for each city were conducted. ResultsAverage participant age was 26 years (SD 6.5). Of all participants, 27.3% of PWID were HCV seropositive, of which 52% were 25 years old or younger. In Pereira, increased risk of HCV infection was found for PWID that: had a history of injection drug use of 5 years or more (AOR: 3.0, CI: 1.7–7.8); were between 25 and 28 years of age (AOR: 5.2, CI: 1.0–26.3); had higher injection frequency (AOR: 2.5, CI: 1.4–4.2), and daily use of gifted, sold, or rented needles or syringes (AOR: 4.5, CI: 1.0–7.1). Additionally, in Cucuta, being HIV seropositive appeared to be greatly associated with risk of HCV seropositivity (AOR: 16.9, CI: 3.5–81.5). ConclusionAlthough prevalence of HCV in PWID in Colombia is lower than that reported for other countries, the described demographic characteristics and diverse risky injection behaviors on each city, in the context of a young PWID population with a short injection drug use history, should be taken into account in order to guide efforts towards preventing and reducing risk of HCV infection in PWID in Colombia.

Hepatitis C prevalence and associated risk factors among individuals who are homeless and diagnosed with mental illness: At Home/Chez Soi Study, Vancouver, BC.

There is scarce evidence on prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among individuals who are homeless and diagnosed with severe mental illness. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of HCV infection and associated risk factors in a representative sample of adults from At Home study. The Vancouver At Home study is part of the At Home/Chez Soi (AH/CS) project-a pragmatic randomized controlled trial of a Housing First intervention among homeless persons with mental illness in five Canadian cities between 2009 and 2013 with a 2-year follow-up period. Of 497 participants, 28% reported positive HCV serostatus. Educational level equal or less than eighth grade (AOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 4.8), history of incarceration (AOR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.2, 3.5), substance dependence (AOR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1, 3.7) and injection drug use during one month prior to the recruitment (AOR: 7.8, 95% CI: 4.0, 15.0) were associated with an increased risk of HCV infection. Having a psychotic disorder (AOR: 0.6, 95% CI: 0.3, 1.0) and age < 25 (AOR: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.0, 0.7) were associated with a lower risk. Blood tests performed on 30 participants agreed with self-report in 97% of cases [Kappa = 0.9 (95% CI: 0.6, 1.3), PABAK = 0.9]. The high prevalence of HCV among individuals who were homeless with mental illness underlies the importance of prevention and treatment of HCV in this population, especially those with concurrent substance use disorders. Self-report seems to be a valid tool for evaluation of the HCV status in this population.

Genetic variation on the NFKB1 genes associates with the outcomes of HCV infection among Chinese Han population

AimTo investigate whether nuclear factor-kappa B1 (NFKB1) gene polymorphisms are associated with the outcomes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a Chinese high-risk population. MethodsIn this case-control study, 984 HCV-uninfected controls, 221 infected individuals with spontaneous HCV clearance, and 456 with persistent HCV infection were enrolled. Rs28362491 and rs72696119 were genotyped using the ABI TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. The functional annotation of the identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were further evaluated by bioinformatics analysis. ResultsSignificant differences were observed among the three groups (P < 0.001) in terms of the frequency of rs28362491 SNP. In logistic regression analysis, rs28362491-ATTG deleted (D) was associated with a significantly increased risk of HCV infection compared to the major-type rs28362491-ATTG inserted (I) (dominant model: adjusted OR = 1.332, 95% CI = 1.059–1.674, P = 0.014; additive model: adjusted OR = 1.181, 95% CI = 1.021–1.367, P = 0.025), after adjusting for age, gender, and route of infection. Based on the in silico prediction, the RegulomeDB score for SNP rs28362491 was 3a, indicating that it can potentially regulate the transcription and expression of NFKB1 gene. ConclusionNFKB1 rs28362491-D allele was functionally associated with the increased risk of susceptibility to HCV infection in the Chinese Han population.

Hepatitis C Virus Screening Among Children Exposed During Pregnancy.

Because of the opioid epidemic, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is increasing among pregnant women, resulting in an increased risk of perinatal transmission and HCV infection among children. Our primary objectives in this study were to determine the prevalence of HCV among pregnant women and the frequency of pediatric HCV screening. A population-based, retrospective cohort of pregnant women who delivered between 2006 and 2014 was identified and classified as HCV infected or HCV uninfected by billing codes. Infant records linked to the HCV-infected pregnant women were identified and queried for HCV tests and the receipt of well-child services, which were defined as the presence of hemoglobin and/or lead testing at or after 9 months of age. Between 2006 and 2014, 1043 (1.2%) HCV-infected pregnant women delivered, and the HCV prevalence increased by 60%. HCV-infected women were more likely to be <30 years of age (67% vs 53%; P < .001), white (93% vs 72%; P < .001), insured by Medicaid (77% vs 29%; P < .001), and have opiate use disorder (68% vs 1%; P < .001) than HCV-uninfected women. Infants born to HCV-infected women were more likely to be preterm (<37 weeks' gestation; 22% vs 10%; P < .001) and of low birth weight (<2500 g; 23% vs 8%; P < .001). Among 1025 HCV-exposed infants with available pediatric records, 323 (31%) received well-child services, and among these, only 96 (30%) were screened for HCV. Despite the increased HCV prevalence among pregnant women and the risk of perinatal HCV transmission, HCV-exposed infants are not adequately screened, and many pediatric HCV infections remain undetected.