Final answer:
For screening hereditary hemochromatosis, transferrin saturation is the recommended first-line test due to its high sensitivity and specificity for detecting iron overload.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the options listed for screening persons for hereditary hemochromatosis, a condition causing the accumulation of iron in the body that can lead to liver damage, serum ferritin assay and transferrin saturation are commonly used tests. Serum ferritin assay helps gauge the body's iron stores as ferritin is one of the major iron storage proteins. Transferrin saturation, which measures the percentage of transferrin that is bound to iron, is highly specific to detect iron overload states like hemochromatosis. A liver biopsy, while definitive, is invasive and not routinely used for screening. A complete blood count (CBC), while useful in many diagnostic areas, does not specifically test for iron overload. Therefore, most guidelines recommend that transferrin saturation should be used as a first-line screening test for hereditary hemochromatosis due to its high sensitivity and specificity for iron overload.