Hepatitis C
Annual Summary of Reportable Diseases

• 2023 was an average year for acute hepatitis C infections in Minnesota, with 49 cases identified. Over the last 10 years, there have been between 37-66 cases of acute hepatitis C per year.
• In 2023, there were two perinatal hepatitis C infections identified in infants born to hepatitis C-positive persons.
• The number of individuals being cured of their hepatitis C infection continued to decrease in 2023, despite the availability of safe and extremely effective medications. 

In 2023, 49 cases of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (0.9 per 100,000) were reported. Twenty-six (53%) were residents of the metropolitan area. The median age was 40 years (range, 22 to 71). Thirty-four (69%) cases were male. Race was known for 47 cases: 26 (55%) were White, 14 (30%) were American Indian/Alaskan Native, two (4%) were Black, three (6%) were Asian/Pacific Islander, and two (4%) were reported as Other race. Four (8%) cases were known to be of Hispanic ethnicity. 

MDH received 1,046 reports of newly identified confirmed hepatitis C infections in 2023. A total of 31,942 persons are estimated to be alive and living in Minnesota with chronic HCV infection. The median age of these cases is 62 years. The number of individuals being cured of their hepatitis C infection continued to decrease in 2023. In order to eliminate hepatitis C in Minnesota, there needs to be drastic increases in treatment rates. 

In 2018, perinatal hepatitis C was added as a nationally notifiable condition. In 2023, two cases of perinatal hepatitis C were reported. One case was American Indian/Alaskan Native and one case was reported as Other race.  

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In 2022, 53 cases of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (0.9 per 100,000) were reported. Thirty-three (62%) were residents of the metropolitan area. The median age was 40 years (range 15 to 70). Thirty-three (62%) cases were male. Race was known for 51 cases: 24 (47%) were White, 11 (22%) were American Indian/ Alaskan Native, 7 (14%) were Black, one (2%) was Asian, two (4%) were Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and six (12%) were reported as other race. Five (10%) cases were known to be of Hispanic ethnicity.

MDH received 1,047 reports of newly identified confirmed chronic hepatitis C infections in 2022. In 2016, the case definition for chronic hepatitis C changed to exclude those reported as having resolved their infection. A total of 32,543 persons are estimated to be alive and living in Minnesota with chronic HCV infection. The median age of these cases is 61 years.

In 2018, perinatal hepatitis C was added as a nationally notifiable condition. In 2022, three cases of perinatal hepatitis C were reported. One case was White and two cases were reported as other race. One case was known to be of Hispanic ethnicity.

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In 2021, 66 cases of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (1.2 per 100,000) were reported. In 2012, the case definition for acute hepatitis C changed to include documented asymptomatic seroconversion. Of the 66 cases, 25 (38%) were asymptomatic, laboratory-confirmed acute infection.

Fifty (76%) were residents of the metropolitan area. The median age was 32 years (range, 18 to 66). Thirty-nine (59%) cases were male. Race was known for 61 cases: 29 (48%) were White, 18 (30%) were American Indian/Alaskan Native, 7 (11%) were Black, one (2%) was Asian, three (5%) were reported as multi-racial, and three (5%) were reported as other race. Six (10%) cases were known to be of Hispanic ethnicity.

MDH received 1,049 reports of newly identified chronic hepatitis C infections in 2021. In 2016, the case definition for chronic hepatitis C changed to exclude those reported as having resolved their infection. A total of 32,810 persons are estimated to be alive and living in Minnesota with chronic HCV infection. The median age of these cases is 60 years.

In 2018, perinatal hepatitis C was added as a nationally notifiable condition. In 2021, one case of perinatal hepatitis C was reported. This case was known to be White, non-Hispanic.

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In 2020, 61 cases of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (1.1 per 100,000) were reported. In 2012, the case definition for acute hepatitis C changed to include documented asymptomatic seroconversion. Of the 61 cases, 22 (36%) were asymptomatic, laboratory-confirmed acute infection.

Fifty-five (90%) were residents of the metropolitan area. The median age was 30 years (range, 19 to 78). Forty (66%) cases were male. Race was known for all cases: 25 (41%) were white, 18 (30%) were American Indian/Alaskan Native, 14 (23%) was black, 2 (3%) were Asian, 1 (2%) was reported as multi-racial, and 1 (2%) was reported as other race. Two (3%) cases were known to be of Hispanic ethnicity.

MDH received 1,036 reports of newly identified chronic hepatitis C infections in 2020. In 2016, the case definition for chronic hepatitis C changed to exclude those reported as having resolved their infection. A total of 32,667 persons are estimated to be alive and living in Minnesota with chronic HCV infection. The median age of these cases is 59 years.

In 2018, perinatal hepatitis C was added as a nationally notifiable condition. In 2020, 5 cases of perinatal hepatitis C were reported. Race was known for all cases: all were white. One case was known to be of Hispanic ethnicity

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In 2019, 62 cases of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (1.1 per 100,000) were reported. In 2012, the case definition for acute hepatitis C changed to include documented asymptomatic seroconversion. Of the 62 cases, 32 (52%) were asymptomatic, laboratory-confirmed acute infection.

Forty-four (55%) were residents of the metropolitan area. The median age was 30 years (range, 19 to 70). Thirty-eight (61%) cases were male. Race was known for 59 cases; of those, 22 (35%) were white, 20 (32%) were American Indian/Alaskan Native, 9 (15%) was black, 4 (6%) were reported as multiracial, and 4 (6%) were reported as other race. Five (8%) cases were known to be of Hispanic ethnicity.

We received 1,274 reports of newly identified chronic hepatitis C infections in 2019. In 2016, the case definition for chronic hepatitis C changed to exclude those reported as having resolved their infection. A total of 32,707 persons are estimated to be alive and living in Minnesota with chronic HCV infection. The median age of these cases is 59 years.

• Find up to date information at>> Hepatitis C

In 2018, 60 cases of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (1.1 per 100,000) were reported. In 2012, the case definition for acute hepatitis C changed to include documented asymptomatic seroconversion. Of the 60 cases, 17 (28%) were asymptomatic, laboratory-confirmed acute infection.

Thirty-three (55%) cases resided in Greater Minnesota. The median age of all cases was 29 years (range, 19 to 63). Twenty-seven (45%) cases were male. Race was known for 56 cases; of those, 37 (62%) were white, 16 (27%) were American Indian/ Alaska Native, 1 (2%) was black, 1 (2%) was Asian, and 1 (2%) was reported as other race. One (2%) case was known to be of Hispanic ethnicity.

MDH received 1,501 reports of newly identified chronic hepatitis C infections in 2018. In 2016, the case definition for chronic hepatitis C changed to exclude those reported as having resolved their infection. A total of 33,856 persons are estimated to be alive and living in Minnesota with chronic HCV infection. The median age of these cases is 58 years.

• For up to date information see>> Hepatitis C

• Archive of Annual Summary of Communicable Diseases Reported to the Minnesota Department of Health
  Archive of past summaries (years prior to 2023 are available as PDFs).