A message from AASLD (American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases)

All patients beginning hepatitis C (HCV) treatment using direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapies should be assessed for hepatitis B (HBV), according to the AASLD/Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Guidance Panel. The AASLD/IDSA Recommendations for Testing, Managing and Treating Hepatitis C have been updated to include this new practice guidance.

In addition to testing, the Guidance Panel recommends:

• HBV vaccination for all susceptible individuals.
• Obtaining a test for HBV DNA prior to DAA therapy in patients who could be actively replicating.
• Starting patients who meet criteria for treatment of active HBV infection on therapy at the same time — or before — HCV DAA therapy is started.

Monitoring patients with low or undetectable HBV DNA levels at regular intervals as recommended by the AASLD’s HBV treatment guidelines.

Visit HCVguidelines.org for more information about the newest recommendations and to view the full report.