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Screening for Viral Hepatitis

by Debra Wood, RN

En Español (Spanish Version)

Screening is a method of finding out if you have hepatitis before you begin to have any symptoms. Screening involves:

Assessing your medical history and lifestyle habits that may increase your risk of hepatitis
Undergoing tests to identify early signs of hepatitis, including blood tests for hepatitis antigens and antibodies—Antigens are foreign proteins. Antibodies are proteins that your body has made to fight infectious agents.

Screening Guidelines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends screening for hepatitis in pregnant women at their first prenatal visit and in people at high risk for the disease.

REFERENCES:

Viral hepatitis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. Available at: http://www.cdcnpin.org/scripts/hepatitis/index.asp . Updated October 15, 2010. Accessed January 19, 2011.

What I need to know about Hepatitis B. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse website. Available at: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hepb_ez/index.htm . Published April 2009. Accessed January 19, 2011.

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Last reviewed March 2013 by Daus Mahnke, MD
Last Updated: 03/15/2013

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