For the Health of it:  Hep C on the rise in Chenango
Submitted by the Chenango County Health Department
CHENANGO COUNTY – The Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) has been steadily increasing in Chenango County in recent years. In 2010 there were 20 reported cases of the potentially deadly virus, and the number has increased to a reported 66 in 2014 alone.
HCV causes inflammation of the liver, one of our body's most vital organs that processes nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected.
“Hep C” as it is more popularly know, is usually spread when blood from a person infected with the virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. Most people become infected with HCV by sharing needles, syringes, or any other equipment to inject drugs. Before widespread screening of the blood supply in 1992, Hep C was also spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants. HCV can be spread through poor infection control techniques in healthcare settings. HCV can also be spread when getting tattoos and body piercings in unlicensed facilities, informal settings, or with non-sterile instruments. 6 percent of infants born to infected mothers get HCV.
Many people with Hepatitis C do not have symptoms. If symptoms occur, they can include: fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, grey-colored stool, and yellowing of skin and eyes.
The only way to know if one has HCV is to get tested. Doctors use a blood test, called a Hepatitis C Antibody Test, which looks for antibodies to the virus.
There is some good news. HCV can be treated, but treatment depends on several factors - making it all the more important visit a physician who specializes in Hep. C.
Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent HCV. There are ways to reduce the risk of becoming infected including
• Avoid sharing or reusing needles, syringes, or any other equipment to prepare and inject drugs, steroids, hormones, or other substances.
• Do not use personal items that may have come into contact with an infected person’s blood, even in amounts too small to see, such as razors, nail clippers, toothbrushes, or glucose monitors.
• Do not get tattoos or body piercings from an unlicensed facility or in an informal setting.
Testing for HCV is recommended for certain groups, including people who:
• Were born from 1945-1965
• Received donated blood or organs before 1992
• Have ever injected drugs, even if it was just once or many years ago
• Have certain medical conditions, such as chronic liver disease and HIV or AIDS
• Have abnormal liver tests or liver disease
• Have been exposed to blood from a person who have HCV
• Are on hemodialysis
• Are born to a mother with Hepatitis C.
CHENANGO COUNTY – The Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) has been steadily increasing in Chenango County in recent years. In 2010 there were 20 reported cases of the potentially deadly virus, and the number has increased to a reported 66 in 2014 alone.
HCV causes inflammation of the liver, one of our body's most vital organs that processes nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected.
“Hep C” as it is more popularly know, is usually spread when blood from a person infected with the virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. Most people become infected with HCV by sharing needles, syringes, or any other equipment to inject drugs. Before widespread screening of the blood supply in 1992, Hep C was also spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants. HCV can be spread through poor infection control techniques in healthcare settings. HCV can also be spread when getting tattoos and body piercings in unlicensed facilities, informal settings, or with non-sterile instruments. 6 percent of infants born to infected mothers get HCV.
Many people with Hepatitis C do not have symptoms. If symptoms occur, they can include: fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, grey-colored stool, and yellowing of skin and eyes.
The only way to know if one has HCV is to get tested. Doctors use a blood test, called a Hepatitis C Antibody Test, which looks for antibodies to the virus.
There is some good news. HCV can be treated, but treatment depends on several factors - making it all the more important visit a physician who specializes in Hep. C.
Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent HCV. There are ways to reduce the risk of becoming infected including
• Avoid sharing or reusing needles, syringes, or any other equipment to prepare and inject drugs, steroids, hormones, or other substances.
• Do not use personal items that may have come into contact with an infected person’s blood, even in amounts too small to see, such as razors, nail clippers, toothbrushes, or glucose monitors.
• Do not get tattoos or body piercings from an unlicensed facility or in an informal setting.
Testing for HCV is recommended for certain groups, including people who:
• Were born from 1945-1965
• Received donated blood or organs before 1992
• Have ever injected drugs, even if it was just once or many years ago
• Have certain medical conditions, such as chronic liver disease and HIV or AIDS
• Have abnormal liver tests or liver disease
• Have been exposed to blood from a person who have HCV
• Are on hemodialysis
• Are born to a mother with Hepatitis C.
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