The Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2025

Regulation 2(4)

SCHEDULE 1 Infection severity levels for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C

Infection severity level	Description of infection severity level
Level 1: Hepatitis C only	Acute infection, being a transient, self-cleared infection
Level 2: Hepatitis B and / or Hepatitis C	Chronic infection characterised by: (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 (b) Hepatitis C – infection with replicating Hepatitis C virus RNA
Level 3: Hepatitis B and / or Hepatitis C	(1) Cirrhosis, characterised by serious scarring (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 only	Infection resulting in death from acute liver failure within 12 months of infection or within 12 months of reactivation of the infection