Most hepatitis C patients left untreated, U-M study finds

An estimated 4 out of 5 people with hepatitis C do not get the proper antiviral treatment, according to a study out of the University of Michigan.

If the trend continues, by 2030 only 14.5 percent of liver-related deaths caused by hepatitis C will be prevented by antiviral treatment, said University of Michigan researcher Michael Volk, as quoted in MedPage Today.

The study found treatment rates seem to be dropping, in part, because many who are infected do not know it, there are barriers to screening such as lack of insurance coverage and treatment is a low priority for primary care physicians. The study concluded public health efforts need to be stepped up to improve access to therapy.

It was published in the December issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Hepatitis refers to a group of viral infections that affect the liver. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 3.2 million Americans are living with chronic hepatitis C.

The National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable called for bipartisan legislation to mandate better detection and surveillance of hepatitis at the state level, Science Daily reported. Without better detection, individual illness health care costs could increase in the future because untreated hepatitis can lead to increased risk of developing cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure, the roundtable said.

Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.