Characteristics of Newly Reported Chronic Hepatitis C Cases Among Adults in the United States, 2016–2023: Insights From Population‐Based Surveillance

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) continues to be a significant public health issue in the United States, but comprehensive analysis of its epidemiological characteristics is limited. This analysis used data from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System to examine patterns and changes in newly reported CHC. During 2016-2023, 895,522 CHC cases were newly reported among adults aged ≥ 18 years in the United States. The rate of newly reported cases during 2020-2023 was significantly lower (47.8 cases per 100,000), compared with the rate during 2016-2019 (75.8 cases per 100,000). A distinct bimodal age distribution was observed with age peaks centered at approximately 33.9 and 59.5 years, which corresponds to millennials (born during 1981-1996) and baby boomers (born during 1945-1965), respectively. While the bimodal age distribution persisted, over time, fewer cases contributed to the older peak relative to the younger peak. Males had a significantly higher rate of newly reported CHC than females, as did individuals residing in rural areas compared to urban areas, particularly within the younger peak. Variations in the transition from the older peak to the younger peak were observed across states during 2016-2023. These findings provide valuable insights into the evolving CHC epidemiology and the implications for the efforts to eliminate the disease.