MMWR: Recommendations for Identification and Public Health Management of Persons with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection

This serial updates and expands previous CDC guidelines for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) testing, and includes new recommendations for public health evaluation and management for chronically infected persons and their contacts. Routine testing for HBsAg now is recommended in additional populations with HBsAg prevalence of greater than or equal to 2%: persons born in geographic regions with HBsAg prevalence of greater than or equal to 2%, men who have sex with men, and injection-drug users. Implementation of these recommendations will require expertise and resources to integrate HBsAg screening in prevention and care settings serving populations recommended for HBsAg testing. This report is intended to serve as a resource for public health officials, organizations, and health-care professionals involved in the development, delivery, and evaluation of prevention and clinical services.