Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Reproductive-Aged Women and Children in the United States, 2006 to 2014

Background:

In the United States, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has increased among young persons who inject drugs, but the extent of this epidemic among reproductive-aged women and their children is unknown.

Objective:

To estimate numbers and describe characteristics of reproductive-aged women with HCV infection and of their offspring.

Design:

Analysis of the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) from 2006 to 2014 and the Quest Diagnostics Health Trends national database from 2011 to 2014.

Setting:

United States.

Participants:

171 801 women (aged 15 to 44 years) and 1859 children (aged 2 to 13 years) with HCV infection reported to the NNDSS; 2.1 million reproductive-aged women and 56 684 children who had HCV testing by Quest Diagnostics.

Measurements:

NNDSS HCV case reports and Quest laboratory data regarding unique reproductive-aged women and children who were tested for HCV infection.

Results:

The number of reproductive-aged women with acute and past or present HCV infection in the NNDSS doubled, from 15 550 in 2006 to 31 039 in 2014. Of 581 255 pregnant women tested by Quest from 2011 to 2014, 4232 (0.73% [95% CI, 0.71% to 0.75%]) had HCV infection. Of children tested by Quest, 0.76% (CI, 0.69% to 0.83%) had HCV infection, but the percentage was 3.2-fold higher among children aged 2 to 3 years (1.62% [CI, 1.34% to 1.96%]) than those aged 12 to 13 years (0.50% [CI, 0.41% to 0.62%]). Applying the Quest HCV infection rate to annual live births from 2011 to 2014 resulted in an estimated average of 29 000 women (CI, 27 400 to 30 900 women) with HCV infection, who gave birth to 1700 infants (CI, 1200 to 2200 infants) with the infection each year.

Limitations:

Only a fraction of HCV infections is detected and reported to the NNDSS. Quest data are potentially biased, because women who are asymptomatic, do not access health care, or have unreported risks may be less likely to be tested for HCV infection.

Conclusion:

These data suggest a recent increase in HCV infection among reproductive-aged women and may inform deliberations regarding a role for routine HCV screening during pregnancy.

Primary Funding Source:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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