Hepatitis C is a growing problem in our society. The disease can take many years to progress without causing noticeable symptoms, so as a result, one out of every five individuals living with the virus has no idea that they are infected until the disease is very advanced.
If left untreated, hepatitis C can lead to severe liver damage, liver cancer and the need for a liver transplant. Because many people do not have symptoms when they are infected, it is important for anyone at risk to take action to avoid infecting others.
It’s important to get tested for hepatitis B and C as these diseases can be successfully treated if diagnosed early.
Baby boomers are much more likely to be infected with hepatitis C than other age groups because medical procedures, such as blood transfusions and dental work were performed before universal infection control measures became the norm. Hepatitis C is also more common among immigrants due to its high prevalence in their country of origin. Street youth and marginalized persons, such as injection drug users and prison inmates, are also more at risk of contracting hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C is curable in the majority of patients. However, there is an increase in liver cancer rates that are linked to this infection.
It’s important to talk to your health care professional to get tested. Testing for the disease is done with a simple blood test and treatment is extremely successful if the disease is diagnosed early.
