The Healthy Trucking Association of America, in conjunction with OraSure Technologies and AbbVie, has launched the Truckers Rolling Against Hepatitis C nationwide initiative.

The initiative is meant to educate truck drivers about the hepatitis C virus and encourage them to get tested. There will be events across the country throughout the fall to test at-risk individuals and help prevent serious consequences from undiagnosed infections.

The Truckers Rolling Against Hepatitis C campaign is made up of several initiatives designed to engage drivers to get tested, including truckstop events, employer testing and clinics.

“It is our goal that the Truckers Rolling Against Hepatitis C campaign will increase screening on a broad scale for this at-risk population segment and enable them to receive care,” said Douglas A. Michels, president and CEO of OraSure Technologies.

According the one study, the prevalence of hepatitis C among truck drivers is 8.5%, more than five times higher than other Americans, HTAA says. Most patients infected with hepatitis C experience no symptoms, but the virus can still be detected in the blood, and the symptoms of chronic hepatitis C can take 30 years to develop, says the HTAA.

According to the announcement, AbbVie is a global, research-based biopharmaceutical company. OraSure develops point-of-care testing products for infectious diseases. Its OraQuick HCV Rapid Test can provide Hep C test results in 20 minutes from a fingerstick blood sample.

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