This article was last reviewed on
This article waslast modified on 10 July 2017.

People infected with hepatitis B or C often have no symptoms but can eventually develop cirrhosis or liver cancer. On 12 December 2012 the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published guidance about the need for greater awareness that those at risk can be tested for the viruses and treated to clear the infection. NICE recommends pathways that will increase testing for those who could have been in contact with virus infected blood, including drug users who inject, those who have had heterosexual or homosexual contact with an infected person and family members of carriers.