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The silent epidemic of Hepatitis C

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In the news this week was a story from Canada where experts are calling for a national strategy to diagnose and treat hepatitis C in their “baby-boomer” population. It is estimated that as many as estimated one in 33 from this age group in Canada are infected with hepatitis C.

Both Hepatitis B & C are blood-borne viruses that can infect and damage the liver and are often referred to as being a “silent epidemic” as many sufferers will not be aware they have the condition until the liver has been significantly damaged.

According to World Hepatitis Alliance the most common ways of contracting them are:

  • Blood transfusions and blood products using unscreened blood (in most developed countries blood has been screened since about 1990)
  • Medical or dental interventions without adequate sterilisation of equipment
  • Mother to infant during childbirth
  • Sharing equipment for injecting drugs
  • Sharing straws, notes etc. for snorting cocaine
  • Sharing razors, toothbrushes or other household articles
  • Tattooing and body piercing if done using unsterilised equipment

Hepatitis B is known to be more infectious than C and can also be transmitted via saliva, semen and vaginal fluid.

It is estimated that around 216,000 people in England have Hepatitis C.  Testing for it can be done quickly, easily and confidentially to provide peace of mind to those who may have been exposed. If caught at an early stage (within 6 months of infection) drug treatment has been found to have high success rates in eradicating the virus.


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