Get tested for Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that can cause chronic infection leading to serious liver damage and even premature death. Currently, an estimated 200,000 people in the UK are unaware they are infected, a figure which is increasing by 12% each year

Today, on World Hepatitis Day, the Department of Health are asking people to consider if they have ever been at risk of HepatitisC, and if so, urging them to Get Tested and Get Treated

Hepatitis C is mainly spread through direct contact with the blood of an infected person; this can be from sharing drug-taking equipment (even if you only did it once or twice, or a long time ago), blood transfusions and blood products.

The Department are calling on people to go to the new website which hosts new videos that feature animation and candid interviews with people who have experience of living with hepatitis C.

The website also hosts a self-assessment tool, where people can assess whether they might have ever been at risk of hepatitis C.

Risk factors

You may be at risk if you have:

• Injected drugs using shared equipment, even if it was only once
• Received a blood transfusion before 1991 or a blood product before 1986
• Received medical or dental treatment abroad where unsterile equipment may have been used
• Shared a razor or toothbrush with someone who may have hepatitis C
• Had a tattoo or body piercing using unsterilised equipment
• Had unprotected sex with someone who may have hepatitis C

If you have done any of the above, pay a visit to your GP and get tested. You could be infected and not even know it.

It can take years or even decades for symtoms of the disease to appear. Meanwhile the virus can be causing liver damage, and you may accidentally pass it on to someone else.

There is now effective treatment for the virus available on the NHS, so Get Tested, Get Treated.

More information

Hepatitis C Symptom Checker : www.NHS.uk/HepC

This article was published on Tue 19 May 2009