CDC: Opioid epidemic driving up hepatitis C infections

Nov 08, 2018 - 02:51 PM
CDC-opioid-update

Nearly 2.4 million Americans are living with Hepatitis C and the amount of new infections each year is “disturbingly high” and growing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported this week. The number of reported cases more than tripled from 2010 to 2016 nationwide, with most new infections due to increased injection drug use associated with the opioid epidemic, primarily among adults under 40. “The shadow of the opioid crisis puts our nation’s progress at risk,” said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., director of the CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. “Tackling hepatitis C requires diagnosing and curing people living with the virus and cutting off new infections at the source.” According to the CDC, Hepatitis C also poses a serious health threat to baby boomers, who have the highest rate of hepatitis C-related deaths, and infants born to mothers with the disease.

Related News Articles

Headline
CDC streamlines bird flu and influenza reporting
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention July 7 announced it is streamlining H5N1 bird flu updates with its routine influenza data given the low public…
Headline
U.S. hits highest measles case count in over 30 years 
The United States July 7 reached its highest annual measles case tally in 33 years, hitting at least 1,277 confirmed cases across 38 states and the District of…
Headline
ASPR tests biocontainment unit for transporting simulated patients with high-consequence infectious diseases to hospitals
The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response June 25 announced it conducted an exercise transporting simulated patients with high-consequence…
Headline
AHA podcast: 20% Drop in Sepsis Mortality — Inside Ochsner Health’s Life-Saving Strategy 
Ochsner Health's Stephen Saenz, sepsis program manager, and Teresa Arrington, director of robust process improvement for quality and patient safety, reveal how…
Headline
CDC adds resources to measles toolkit 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added new resources for health care providers to its Be Ready for Measles Toolkit. They include a decision…
Headline
Measles cases surpass 1,100
There have been 1,168 confirmed cases of measles across 33 states as of June 6 this year, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and…