Monday, July 27 to Sunday, August 2 is the official NSW Hepatitis Awareness Week with the Central Coast Local Health District Liver Clinic determined to raise awareness for the ‘silent infection’.
Hepatitis C (Hep C) is an illness caused by a virus that infects people’s liver and is known as the ‘silent infection’ because it often manifests without symptoms.
District nurse practitioner at the liver clinic, Ms Helen Blackshaw said it is critical to identify people in our community who are living with undiagnosed Hep C, and equally critical to ensure people with the infection get treatment.
“Anyone who has ever injected drugs – even years ago, or only once – should get tested by their GP,” Ms Blackshaw said. “Other risk factors include unsterile tattooing or piercing, unsterile medical or dental procedures overseas, time spent in jail, or the use of blood products before 1990,” she said.
“Most patients at our liver clinic are in their 40s or 50s and have been infected for over 20 years,” she said. “Many have already developed signifi cant liver damage or cirrhosis because they were undiagnosed for so long.” “Around 200 people are diagnosed with Hep C on the Central Coast each year,” Ms Blackshaw said.
“While the wait continues for new treatments that have cure rates over 90%, treatment has improved over the past ten years with cure rates of 70-80% right now,” she said. Getting treatment as soon as possible will improve the chances of a full recovery,” Ms Blackshaw said.
Media release,
27 July 2015
Casey Virgin, Central
Coast Local Health District