Research and analysis

Laboratory reports of hepatitis C in England and Wales: January to March 2022

Published 3 February 2025

Applies to England and Wales

Between January and March 2021, a total of 3,849 laboratory reports of hepatitis C were reported to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) (previously PHE).

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýappre was a 68% decrease in the number of reports compared to the first quarter of 2021 (n=2,288). This increase is due to the addition of previously missing backdated confirmed hepatitis C laboratory reports originating from either the private laboratory Abbott (formerly known as Alere), or a laboratory from the North West region.ÌýÌýÌý

Since 2017, one laboratory in the North West of England has undertaken hepatitis C dried blood spot testing alongside hepatitis C routine laboratory testing. This single laboratory has taken on testing for a large part of the country. However, some samples where geographical information is lacking,Ìýmay have been incorrectly assigned to this specific laboratory rather than the laboratory from which the sample originated.

Age and sex were well reported (99% complete). Where sex was known, males accounted for 67% of reports (2,559 out of 3,809), which is consistent with previous quarters and years.

Adults aged 35 to 54 years accounted for 60% of the total number of hepatitis C reports.

Table 1. Laboratory reports of hepatitis C in England and Wales, January to March 2022

Age group Male Female Unknown Total
1 to 4 years 3Ìý Ìý 2Ìý Ìý 0Ìý Ìý 5 Ìý
5 to 9 years 1Ìý Ìý 1Ìý Ìý 0Ìý Ìý 2 Ìý
10 to 14 years 3Ìý Ìý 0Ìý Ìý 0Ìý Ìý 3 Ìý
15 to 24 years 48Ìý Ìý 25Ìý Ìý 6Ìý Ìý 79 Ìý
25 to 34 years 340Ìý Ìý 166Ìý Ìý 33Ìý Ìý 539 Ìý
35 to 44 years 771Ìý Ìý 356Ìý Ìý 53Ìý Ìý 1,180 Ìý
45 to 54 years 799Ìý Ìý 251Ìý Ìý 64Ìý Ìý 1,114 Ìý
55 to 64 years 441Ìý Ìý 189Ìý Ìý 16Ìý Ìý 646 Ìý
â‰�65 years 153Ìý Ìý 88Ìý Ìý 0Ìý Ìý 241 Ìý
Unknown 14Ìý Ìý 4Ìý Ìý 22Ìý Ìý 40 Ìý
Total 2,573Ìý Ìý1,082Ìý Ìý 194Ìý Ìý 3,849 Ìý

Notes: Individuals aged under 1 year are excluded, since positive tests in this age group may reflect the presence of passively-acquired maternal antibody rather than true infection. Laboratory reports are not reliable for differentiating acute and chronic hepatitis C infections. Laboratory reports include individuals with a positive test for hepatitis C antibody, antigen and/or detection of hepatitis C RNA. A small proportion of these specimens are diagnosed following dried blood spot (DBS) testing, however not all DBS testing is reported by laboratories.

In Table 2, laboratory reports are presented broken down by Operational Delivery Network (ODN). ODNs were launched in July 2013 following the publication of the NHS England strategy to sustain and develop clinical networks.

ODNs are the networks through which hepatitis C treatment is being delivered across England. Between January and March 2021, 3,021 out of 3,849 individuals in England had been allocated to an ODN.

Table 2. Laboratory reports of hepatitis C by Operational Delivery Network, January to March 2022

Primary ODN Total
Barts 105
Birmingham 265
Bristol and Severn 107
Cheshire and Merseyside 231
Eastern Hepatitis Network 223
Greater Manchester and Eastern Cheshire 258
Humberside and North Yorkshire 59
Kent Network via Kings 35
Lancashire and South Cumbria 47
Leicester 111
North Central London 118
North East and Cumbria 240
Nottingham 103
South Thames Hepatitis Network 165
South West Peninsula 48
South Yorkshire 128
Surrey Hepatitis Services 86
Sussex Hepatology Network 220
Thames Valley Hep C ODN 19
Wessex Hep C ODN 83
West London 128
West Yorkshire 88

ODNs are based on NHS England Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) geographic boundaries. NHS England allocates a primary or lead ODN for CCGs which may cross more than one ODN.

Reference

  1. UKHSA. �Hepatitis C (England and Wales): 2021�,