May 19 is Hepatitis Testing Day, an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of viral hepatitis testing, prevention, and care. HepVu joins the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and other public health organizations in recognizing this day.
Although millions of Americans have chronic viral hepatitis, many are unaware of their status. CDC recommends testing for populations at risk for infection, including but not limited to:
- Hepatitis B—Pregnant women during each pregnancy, Gay and Bisexual Men, people who inject drugs, anyone born or whose parents were born in areas where Hepatitis B is common.
- Hepatitis C—All adults aged 18+ and pregnant women during each pregnancy, anyone with ongoing risk and medical conditions, such as people who inject drugs.
- Hepatitis A—Routine testing for Hepatitis A prior to vaccination is not necessary or recommended but may be considered among individuals with a high likelihood of previous infection as a strategy to reduce overall costs of Hepatitis A vaccination programs.
Recently, the CDC and HHS released their national viral hepatitis strategic plans to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat in the U.S., outlining specific targets and priority populations. This Hepatitis Testing Day, HepVu is providing insights on the viral hepatitis epidemic and highlighting efforts to increase access to hepatitis testing and care. You can also find viral hepatitis testing and other services in your area on HepVu’s service locators.
This month, the U.S. also recognizes National Hispanic Hepatitis Awareness Day on May 15. HepVu partnered with the Latino Commission on AIDS (LCOA) to provide infographics in Spanish and hosted a webinar on May 18, 2021, at 2pm ET on the impact of Hepatitis C in the U.S., specifically among the Hispanic/Latinx community.
Share our Infographics
To learn more about viral hepatitis testing, explore HepVu’s resources:
- Visualize the Hepatitis C epidemic stratified by age, sex, and race on HepVu’s interactive maps.
- Find available viral hepatitis testing and care services near you with HepVu’s service locators.
- Read expert-led Q&As on the importance of viral hepatitis testing:
- Share our infographics in English and Spanish with your networks to raise awareness.
