In the United States today, an estimated one-third of the population becomes infected with hepatitis A, 1.4 million are chronically infected with hepatitis B, and approximately 4 million have been infected with hepatitis C.
The American Liver Foundation is raising awareness about the risks associated with hepatitis to encourage people to get tested and treated.
While all forms of hepatitis are dangerous, hepatitis C, the most common type in the U.S., is particularly alarming. Patients who contract hepatitis C and are not treated can develop liver diseases, such as cirrhosis and cancer. Hepatitis C also is the leading cause of liver transplants.
Hepatitis A and B, caused by viruses that attack the liver, can be prevented by vaccination. In the case of hepatitis C, there is no vaccine available, and many people with the disease are unaware that they are infected and have not sought treatment.
"It's important for patients who even think they might be infected to speak to their doctors about being tested and treated as soon as possible for hepatitis in order to preserve liver health," says Dr. Douglas Dieterich, professor of medicine in the Division of Liver Diseases at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Screening for the hepatitis C virus involves a simple blood test that detects the presence of antibodies to the disease. Public health experts estimate that less than 30 percent of Americans with hepatitis C are aware they carry the infection, and many people who have been diagnosed mistakenly believe they can wait to be treated.
"Some patients may be waiting for the next generation of treatments, not knowing that new drugs are still many years away and that the disease can become a serious threat to their health in as little as five years," Dieterich says.
Current treatments can successfully treat more than half the patients infected with hepatitis C, helping to prevent potentially deadly liver problems.
If you believe you may be at risk for hepatitis or would like more information, call the American Liver Foundation at (800) GO-LIVER (465-4837) or visit www.liverfoundation.org. - NU |
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