Hepatitis C infection (Hepatitis C virus)

Clinical criteria
Not relevant for surveillance purposes

Laboratory Criteria
Acute case
At least one of the following two:
- Recent HCV seroconversion (prior negative test for hepatitis C in last 12 months)
- Detection of hepatitis C virus nucleic acid (HCV RNA) or hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCV-core) in serum/plasma AND no detection of hepatitis C virus antibody (negative result)

Chronic case
Detection of hepatitis C virus nucleic acid (HCV RNA) or hepatitis C core antigen
(HCV-core) in serum/plasma in two samples taken at least 12 months apart

Case of unknown status
Any case which cannot be classified according to the above description of acute or chronic infection and having at least one of the following three:
- Detection of hepatitis C virus nucleic acid (HCV RNA)
- Detection of hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCV-core)
- Hepatitis C virus specific antibody (anti-HCV) response confirmed by a confirmatory (e.g. immunoblot) antibody test in persons older than 18 months without evidence of resolved infection*

Epidemiological criteria
NA

Case classification
A. Possible case
NA
B. Probable case
NA
C. Confirmed case
Any person meeting the laboratory criteria

Note:
Resolved infection should not be notified.

*Resolved infection: Detection of hepatitis C virus antibody and no detection of hepatitis C virus nucleic acid (HCV RNA negative result) or hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCV-core negative result) in serum/plasma.

Current as of: 28 May 2018