Treating acute HCV

Although DAAs are not currently approved for acute infection, they are recommended in guidelines from the European Liver Association (EASL).

Cure rates are likely to be as high as for chronic HCV. SVR needs to be checked at both 12 and 24 weeks as late relapses have been reported.

If the price of DAAs limits access during acute infection, this will mean waiting for six months until HCV is defined as chronic.

Sometimes HCV will need to be chronic before you can be added to a waiting list for access to DAAs.

These guidelines and defintions might change. For example, as spontaneous clearance is very unlikely if HCV viral load does not drop within three months of infection, earlier access to DAAs might be approved in the future.

For most people, waiting for a few months will not affect long-term health.

It is good advice to stop drinking alcohol and to understand and reduce the risk of HCV for your sexual partners.

Last updated: 17 August 2017.