General -  Hepatitis C is more Prevalent than HIVnotify me whenever anyone posts in this discussionSubscribe  
 
From: HepAware  May-18 10:05 am 
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Tomorrow is World Hepatitis Day. Unfortunately there hasn't been much discussion in the news on the topic.

More people are infected with Hepatitis C than with HIV. It can lead to a serious lifelong illness which attacks the liver. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), people can become infected through blood contact such as sharing needles, needlestick injuries in a healthcare setting, or being born to a mother who has Hepatitis C.

Those at risk include:
1) injection drug users including those that injected only one time or many years ago
2) recipients of donated blood, blood products or organs before 1992 (much rarer now)
3) people who received a blood product for clotting problems made before 1987
4) those with body piercings or tatoos done with non-sterile equipment (but how would you know for sure)
5) those infected with HIV
6) Children born to infected mothers.

While it's uncommon, Hepatitis C can be spread through rough sexual contact with a person infected with Hepatitis C or sharing razors or toothbrushes with someone infected. Whenever there is the possibility of blood-to-blood contact there is a risk.

There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C and the current treatment has horrendous side effects.

So, why aren't more people talking about it and getting tested?

There are some great resources at:
www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/C/cFAQ.htm
www.Hepatitis-Central.com
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs164/en/


Edited 5/18/2009 1:45 pm ET by HepAware
 
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