What grade does USPSTF assign to HBV screening for adults at increased risk?

• A. Grade A
• B. Grade B
• C. Grade C
• D. Grade D

Answer: (B)

Screening decisions rely on how USPSTF grades the net benefit of a test. For HBV screening in adults at increased risk, the recommendation is Grade B, meaning there is at least moderate certainty that the net benefit is moderate to substantial for this specific group.

Why this fits: testing adults who have risk factors for hepatitis B (such as injection drug use, certain sexual risk factors, birth in regions with high HBV prevalence, HIV infection, or household contact with an infected person) can identify infection earlier. Early identification allows appropriate care, monitoring to prevent liver disease progression, and vaccination of susceptible contacts, which helps reduce transmission. The balance of benefits to harms is favorable in these at‑risk populations, but the certainty or magnitude of benefit isn’t so large across all adults that it would rise to Grade A. That’s why it’s a Grade B recommendation: clear and meaningful benefit in those at risk, with moderate certainty about that benefit.