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Schedule 1 Infection severity levels for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis CI1

United Kingdom

Infection severity levelDescription of infection severity level
Level 1: Hepatitis C onlyAcute infection, being a transient, self-cleared infection
Level 2: Hepatitis B and / or Hepatitis C

Chronic infection characterised by:

  1. (a)

    Hepatitis B – infection with confirmed Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity for longer than 6 months with detectable Hepatitis B virus DNA on a polymerase chain reaction test, if not on antiviral therapy

  2. (b)

    Hepatitis C – infection with replicating Hepatitis C virus RNA

F1Level 2B: Hepatitis B and / or Hepatitis C An infection of severity level 2 where the person has received interferon treatment for their Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C infection (or both)
Level 3: Hepatitis B and / or Hepatitis C
(1)

Cirrhosis, characterised by serious scarring (F2serious fibrosis) of the liver caused by long-term liver damage caused by infection

(2)

Treatment of B–cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma caused by infection – single round treatment (first line therapy)

(3)

Type 2 or 3 cryoglobulinemia caused by infection accompanied by membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis

Level 4: Hepatitis B and / or Hepatitis C
(1)

Decompensated cirrhosis caused by infection, characterised by:

(a)

the presence of hepatic encephalopathy (confusion due to liver damage),

(b)

ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdomen),

(c)

variceal haemorrhage (bleeding from dilated veins in the gullet or stomach), or

(d)

a Child-Pugh score greater than 7

(2)

Treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma caused by infection – multiple round treatment (second line therapy)

(3)

Long-term liver damage caused by infection necessitating liver transplantation

(4)

Presence of liver cancer caused by infection

Level 5: Hepatitis B onlyInfection resulting in death from acute liver failure within 12 months of infection or within 12 months of reactivation of the infection

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1

Words in Sch. 1 Table inserted (24.7.2026) by The Infected Blood Compensation Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/872), regs. 1(2), 3(10)

F2

Word in Sch. 1 inserted (31.12.2025) by The Infected Blood Compensation Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1358), regs. 1(2), 14(10)

Commencement

I1

Sch. 1 in force at 31.3.2025, see reg. 1(2)