Between July and September 2022, a total of 4,310 laboratory reports of hepatitis C were reported to UKHSA previously PHE).

There was a 51% increase in the number of reports compared to the first quarter of 2020 (n=2,179). 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.    

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, may have been incorrectly assigned to this specific laboratory rather than the laboratory from which the sample originated.

Age and sex were well reported (97% complete). Where known males accounted for 70% of reports (2,931 out of 4,199) which is consistent with previous quarters and years (1). Adults aged 35 to 54 years accounted for 31% of the total number of hepatitis C reports.

Table 1. Laboratory reports of hepatitis C in England and Wales, July to September 2022

Age group	Male	Female	Unknown	Total
1 to 4 years	4	2	0	6
5 to 9 years	*0	1	0	1
10 to 14 years	3	1	0	4
15 to 24 years	44	38	8	90
25 to 34 years	331	184	15	530
35 to 44 years	882	375	27	1,284
45 to 54 years	884	304	22	1,210
55 to 64 years	480	158	12	650
≥65 years	216	161	0	377
Unknown	87	44	27	158
Total	2,931	1,268	111	4,310

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 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 July and September 2022, 4,185 out of 4,281 individuals in England had been allocated to an ODN.

Table 2. Laboratory reports of hepatitis C by Operational Delivery Network, July to September 2022

Primary ODN	Total
Barts	141
Birmingham	290
Bristol and Severn	118
Cheshire and Merseyside	204
Eastern Hepatitis Network	190
Greater Manchester and Eastern Cheshire	346
Humberside and North Yorkshire	43
Kent Network via Kings	45
Lancashire and South Cumbria	180
Leicester	66
North Central London	233
North East and Cumbria	336
Nottingham	128
South Thames Hepatitis Network	732
South West Peninsula	79
South Yorkshire	115
Surrey Hepatitis Services	97
Sussex Hepatology Network	157
Thames Valley Hep C ODN	25
Wessex Hep C ODN	113
West London	113
West Yorkshire	133

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 two ODNs.

Reference

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