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For Immediate Release Monday, May 1, 2006
Public Encouraged to Learn More About Hepatitis C and
Prevention Methods
May 1, 2006, DENVER — In recognition of Hepatitis Awareness Month
in May, Colorado’s chief medical officer, Dr. Ned Calonge, of the
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Monday urged
individuals to learn more about hepatitis C virus, which affects more
than 83,000 Coloradans.
Calonge said, “Hepatitis C is the most common chronic,
bloodborne infection in the United States. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention estimates that 4.1 million Americans have been
infected with hepatitis C. Approximately 8-10,000 hepatitis-C related
deaths occur nationally each year, and hepatitis C infection is the
leading indication for liver transplants both in Colorado and
nationally.
Calonge explained that hepatitis C is often called a
silent epidemic.
“A person may have significant liver damage before symptoms of disease
develop, and the consequences of chronic hepatitis C infection may only
become apparent 20 to 30 years after infection,” he said.
Approximately 20 percent of individuals with chronic
hepatitis C infections develop cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, and
one to five percent develop liver cancer. Chronic liver disease is now
among the top ten causes of death among American adults, and chronic
hepatitis C accounts for 40 to 60 percent of all chronic liver disease.
According to hepatitis C experts at the Department of
Public Health and Environment, injection drug use has become the leading
source of new hepatitis C infections.
Amy Warner, program manager for the Viral Hepatitis
Program at the Department of Public Health and Environment, advised,
“Individuals who have ever injected drugs, at any time in their lives,
should be tested for Hepatitis C.”
Warner explained that the virus is spread when the
infected blood of one person enters the body of another.
“Injection drug use provides an efficient mode of
transmission because shared drugs, cookers, cottons and syringes may
contain small amounts of blood capable of transmitting the infection.
Because symptoms of this infection may not be evident for years, some
people who experimented with injection drugs in the 1970s are only now
finding out that behaviors they engaged in decades ago are threatening
their future health and wellness,” she said.
She added that individuals who have ever been on
hemodialysis, received a blood transfusion prior to 1992, or received
clotting factor concentrates prior to 1987 also are at high risk and
should seek testing.
Colorado Responds
In 1999, the Colorado State Legislature passed the Hepatitis C
Prevention Act, House Bill 1118, which authorized implementation of a
public health program to address hepatitis C.
The Department of Public Health and Environment has been
working with Team Hep C, a consortium of hepatitis C service providers,
to address this public health threat. Team Hep C activities include
public information, education, support and referral. The collaboration
also supported the creation of a
resource directory for hepatitis C in Colorado and a help line,
1-800-522-HEPC, where people can learn more about the virus.
There is currently no effective vaccine against
hepatitis C, nor is there an effective post-exposure prophylaxis to
prevent infection following an exposure. Therefore, Colorado’s hepatitis
C prevention activities focus on two areas: 1) reducing the number of
new hepatitis C infections and 2) reducing the risk of liver disease and
other chronic diseases in hepatitis C-infected individuals.
Calonge said, “A key strategy in the Department of Public Health and
Environment’s hepatitis C prevention plan has been to partner with
community-based organizations and local health departments throughout
the state to provide free hepatitis C screenings for high-risk
individuals. During the screening process trained counselors advise
high-risk individuals on methods for preventing hepatitis C infection
and transmission.”
Calonge added that individuals who test positive for
hepatitis C also are counseled on steps they can take to minimize liver
damage, such as avoiding alcohol, getting vaccinated for hepatitis B and
hepatitis A and obtaining medical follow up treatment. Since the
implementation of the screening program, more than 10,000 Coloradans
have been able to access hepatitis C screening.
Colorado also is home to the Hep C Connection, a
non-profit support organization providing hepatitis education,
counseling and prevention activities.
“A little bit of education goes a long way toward making
sure others don’t have to suffer the ill effects of hepatitis C”,
explained Kathy Jensen, the director of Education and Community Outreach
at Hep C Connection. “Our goal is to support and empower the people
affected by this disease and stop the occurrence of new infections.”
How Hepatitis C is treated
Hepatitis C is treated with a combination of two
drugs--Interferon and Ribavirin. Approximately half of the people who
receive treatment actually clear the virus. Even those who do not clear
the virus may gain improvements in their liver tissue as a result of
treatment. State experts urge individuals living with hepatitis C to
discuss treatment options with their health care providers.
More on Treatment
For more information about hepatitis C, support group
meetings or locations for free or low-cost hepatitis C screenings, call
the Hep C Connection at 1-800-522-HepC or contact the State Health
Department’s Viral Hepatitis Program at (303) 692-2700.
For more Boulder County information:
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