Vital information on hepatitis C

There has been a breakthrough in the treatment of hepatitis C and Whyalla residents can find out more this week.

A team from HepatitisSA will be at the Whyalla Public Library between noon and 1pm on Thursday, December 14 to have “a chat” about the new hepatitis C treatment and general blood safety issues in the community and the workforce.

The team of health promotion workers from HepatitisSA (a SA Health funded body) is in Whyalla from Tuesday to Thursday running free blood-borne virus workforce training sessions at various businesses and organisations. Some of the subjects covered in include the basics about hepatitis A, B and C, transmission risks/myths, best practice around blood and blood exposure, standard precautions, discrimination and topics relevant to the workforce.

The timeslot at the library will be an informal and strictly confidential arrangement where the general public can come along for more information.

Treatment for hepatitis C has gone from being an intensive 12-month program involving weekly injections and daily tablets, that has been likened to chemotherapy in regards to side effects, with only a 60-80% chance of success.

The new treatment is now just 12 weeks, often with no requirement for injections, less tablets and an estimated success rate of more than 95% with minimal or no side effects. The new treatment is also available under the The Australian Government’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

“We are fully booked out over the three days visiting businesses to talk about blood-borne viruses,” a spokesperson from HepatitusSA said.

“Thursday session at the library is a more informal setup where people can just come along and find out a bit more about the new treatment for hepatitis C and any other information about blood-borne viruses.”

Bookings are not required and all enquires are in the strictest confidence. There will be a private areas available for those seeking more discretion.

HEPITITUS C FACTS

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus. A number of people will experience no symptoms, while others will experience symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Left unmanaged, hepatitis C can lead to scarring of the liver and serious liver disease. World-wide, there are an estimated 71 million people living with chronic (long-term) hepatitis C.

In Australia, there are roughly 233,000 people living with hepatitis C. Of these, one in six remain undiagnosed. Eight thousand people in Australia are diagnosed with hepatitis C each year and 530 die each year from hepatitis C related disease.

Hepatitis C disease progression

One in four infected by the hepatitis C virus will clear the virus spontaneously within 12 months. The remaining three quarters will likely go on to develop chronic hepatitis C. Of these about five to ten per cent will develop cirrhosis at around 20 years after infection. Four to five per cent of those will develop serious liver disease and one to two per cent will develop liver cancer.

Factors which affect outcome include:

• age when first infected
• alcohol use
• co-infection with hepatitis B virus and/or HIV, and
• obesity

Hepatitis C symptoms

During the initial (acute) phase of infection a small number of people may experience flu-like symptoms. However, most people do not experience any symptoms for the first 10 years or more after their initial infection, which may go unnoticed.

Symptoms of long-term (chronic) infection can range from mild to severe and can occur continuously or in bouts. The most common symptoms of chronic hepatitis C infection are:

• fatigue or tiredness;
• lethargy;
• nausea and discomfort in the abdomen;
• feeling ill after consuming alcohol or fatty food; and
• depression

In Australia, the most common ways of getting hepatitis C are:

• sharing injecting equipment.
• tattooing or body piercing with unsterilised equipment.
• non-sterile medical or dental injections or other procedures in countries of high ncidence.
• receiving a blood transfusion before 1990 (from 1990 screening tests became available and all blood products in Australia are now screened for hepatitis C).

You cannot get hepatitis C from:

• hugging and kissing.
• tears or sneezes.
• sharing cups, plates, clothes, food, drinks, showers or toilets.
• eating food prepared by, or shared with, a person with hepatitis C.
• mosquito bites.

Hepatitis C is not a sexually transmitted infection (STI)

Hepatitis C is not classified as a STI. There is only a risk of transmission when there is potential for blood-to-bloodstream contact during sex. The risk of this contact may increase when an STI such as herpes is present. There may also be an increased risk of blood-to-bloodstream contact during rough sex, anal sex or when a woman has her period.

Mother-to-baby transmission

The risk of mother-to-baby transmission of hepatitis C is less than five per cent unless the mother is also infected with HIV. Women with hepatitis C are encouraged to have natural births and to breastfeed, unless they have cracked nipples.

Protecting yourself from hepatitis C:

• Do not share injecting equipment including tourniquet, spoons and filters. Use new and sterile injecting equipment for each injection.
• Avoid tattooing and piercing where equipment is not sterilised.
• Avoid dental and cosmetic procedures where equipment is not sterilised.
• When undergoing cultural rituals where blood is involved, ensure all equipment are sterilised and no blood to bloodstream contact occurs.
• In sport, follow the Blood Rule.
• Practise safe sex (use a condom).
• Avoid sharing toothbrushes, razors, needles, syringes, personal hygiene items and grooming aids or any object that may come into contact with blood or body fluids.
• Cover  all cuts and open sores with a plaster or bandage.
• Follow standard precautions when handling blood spills:
• Wash hands after touching blood or body fluids.
• Wear disposable gloves if giving someone first aid, or cleaning up blood or       body fluids.
• Wipe up any blood spills and then clean the area with household bleach.
• Throw away personal items such as tissues, menstrual pads, tampons and bandages in a sealed plastic bag.

Disclosure:

In South Australia, you don't need to tell if you have hepatitis C unless you are:

• a ember of, or applying to join, the Australian Defence Force
• a healthcare worker undertaking exposure-prone procedures, e.g. dentist, urgeon, theatre nurse
• donating lood, organs or tissues
• asked hen applying for life or health insurance
• asked hen participating in combat sports such as mixed martial arts.

Source: HepititisSA