Updated hepatitis C case definition for Ireland
The hepatitis C case definition has been updated, following a review and consultation with key stakeholders in 2025. The new case definition came into effect on 1st January 2026. It is available on the HPSC website: https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/hepatitis/hepatitisc/casedefinitions/
The case definition was last updated in 2012, however, the acute/chronic status categorisations within this were deemed no longer fit for purpose on review in 2025. Case definitions from Australia, Canada and the USA were reviewed and aspects of these were used to update the Irish case definition.
The primary aim of monitoring hepatitis C cases by acute/chronic status is to distinguish new and recent transmissions from longer-term chronic infections. This allows the incidence of hepatitis C to be estimated in addition to monitoring overall trends in diagnoses.