Overview

• The DETECT Hep C randomized trial enrolled 147,498 adults across EDs in Baltimore, Denver, and Jackson, Mississippi, assigning them to non-targeted or risk-based hepatitis C screening.
• Universal testing uncovered 154 new infections compared with 115 in the targeted group, marking a 34% relative increase in case detection.
• The CDC, USPSTF, and AASLD have updated recommendations to endorse non-targeted hepatitis C screening for all adults at least once in emergency departments.
• Only 19.5% of newly diagnosed patients in the non-targeted arm and 24.3% in the targeted arm secured follow-up care after their diagnosis.
• Fewer than one in ten patients across both screening strategies completed direct-acting antiviral therapy and achieved sustained virologic response at 12 weeks, highlighting gaps in the care continuum.