FREE HEPATITIS C TEST TO BE OFFERED HEALTH EXPERT SAYS MANY MAY NOT BE AWARE OF INFECTION.Byline: Daily News LANCASTER - Coinciding with National Hepatitis Awareness Month, The Catalyst Foundation will offer free hepatitis C Hepatitis C Definition Hepatitis C is a form of liver inflammation that causes primarily a long-lasting (chronic) disease. Acute (newly developed) hepatitis C is rarely observed as the early disease is generally quite mild. testing at its Bartz-Altadonna Memorial Clinic, 44758 Elm Ave. Hepatitis is a medical term that means inflammation of the liver. The three most common types of hepatitis are A, B and C. While vaccines exist for A and B, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C. ``HCV HCV abbr. hepatitis C virus HCV 1 Hepatitis C virus, see there 2. Human coronavirus. See Coronavirus. has infected about 4 million Americans, or 1.8 percent of the U.S. population,'' said Dr. Susan Lawrence, The Catalyst Foundation's executive director. ``Yet many who are infected have no outward symptoms and may not know they are infected.'' Hepatitis C is transmitted primarily through direct exposure to blood through an opening in the skin or mucus membrane; the virus is most frequently transmitted by injection drug use. Seventy percent of people with HCV might develop chronic liver disease Chronic liver disease is a liver disease of slow process and persisting over a long period of time, resulting in a progressive destruction of the liver. It includes amongst others:
HCV infection is the leading indication for liver transplants. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), agency of the U.S. Public Health Service since 1973, with headquarters in Atlanta; it was established in 1946 as the Communicable Disease Center. , people could be at risk for hepatitis C and should be tested if they: --Were notified that they received blood from a donor who later tested positive for hepatitis C. --Have ever injected illegal drugs, even if they experimented only once many years ago. --Received a blood transfusion blood transfusion, transfer of blood from one person to another, or from one animal to another of the same species. Transfusions are performed to replace a substantial loss of blood and as supportive treatment in certain diseases and blood disorders. or solid organ transplant solid organ transplant Immunology A transplanted solid organ–eg, heart, liver, kidney, as contrasted to 'liquid' transplanted tissues–eg, BM, pancreatic islets. See Transplant, Transplantation. before July 1992. --Were the recipient of clotting factors made before 1987. --Have ever been on long-term kidney dialysis. --Have evidence of liver disease, such as persistently abnormal ALT levels. Free testing is available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday by appointment only. For an appointment, call (661) 948-8559, Ext. 100. |
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