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CDC recommends hepatitis C tests for all baby boomers
The federal government Friday called for all baby boomers to be tested for hepatitis C, which kills more Americans each year than AIDS and is the leading reason for liver transplants.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made the recommendation to find hundreds of thousands of people who have the infection, which greatly increases their chances of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer, but don’t know it.
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The hepatitis C virus is transmitted by blood, usually through intravenous drug use or transfusions, before a blood test for it became widely available in 1992. Extremely small amounts of the virus are able to cause infection. Some experts believe that rolled-up dollar bills used to snort cocaine and passed person-to-person can carry enough infected blood to transmit the virus.
“Many baby boomers may not even remember the behaviors that put them at risk,” said John W. Ward, head of the CDC’s division of viral hepatitis.
Epidemiologists estimate that about 3.2 million Americans are infected with hepatitis C, three-quarters of them baby boomers. The disease kills at least 15,000 people a year.
The CDC’s strategy calls for a one-time voluntary blood test for everyone born from 1945 to 1965. The test would be done by doctors, clinics and hospitals as part of routine medical care. Hepatitis C tests now target mostly people who report high-risk activities or show signs of abnormal liver function.
The strategy could identify 800,000 new cases in baby boomers and prevent 120,000 hepatitis-related deaths in that age group, Ward said.
Treatment of hepatitis C infection takes at least six months and consists of pills and a weekly injection. The cure rate used to be less than 30 percent; with a new three-drug strategy, it can be as high as 75 percent.
About 80 percent of people infected with hepatitis C remain so for their lifetimes. Most have no symptoms, although blood tests might reveal low-grade liver inflammation. Up to 30 percent eventually develop cirrhosis, a scarring of the liver that is often fatal. Cirrhosis also greatly increases the risk of developing liver cancer, which few people survive more than six months.
Baby boomers are being targeted simply because they are the population group with by far the largest number of undetected cases. Finding and treating them will cost about $30,000 for every year of life saved — a pricetag comparable to detecting and treating cervical cancer or high cholesterol, Ward said.
A government call for such broad testing is unusual but not unprecedented. Several years ago, the CDC recommended that essentially all Americans be tested for the AIDS virus.
Deaths from hepatitis C surpassed those from AIDS in 2007 and are rising, according
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/cdc-recommends-hepatitis-c-tests-for-all-baby-boomers/2012/05/18/gIQAmRoWZU_story.html?wpisrc=nl_hdlns_wknds
I know what killed him - the "complications" I was referring to was the subsequent liver damage from having Hep C and being unaware of it for so many years. But thanks for the clarification.
Simply put`hep C is a virus. It lives in the blood replicating and possibly causing damage to the liver.
Not all people with hep C develop liver damage.
It is the liver damage, which becomes cirrhosis ( and can lead to liver cancer) that can kill the person.
This is what happened to your relative.
Not all people with hep C develop liver damage.
It is the liver damage, which becomes cirrhosis ( and can lead to liver cancer) that can kill the person.
This is what happened to your relative.
I guess it was the doctor's best guess. In the end, it really didn't matter what caused it. I still think post op testing is a good idea. I'm not familiar enough with the disease to have a good discussion about it; I just know my relative developed it at some point, and died because of complications from it.
You must remember, it is impossible to be 100% sure of how anyone contracted it. The conclusion is based solely on assumption. They take the most risky thing you have done and assume that is how you were infected. There is really no other way to guess. They can’t go by the progression of Liver Damage because the progression varies so differently from person to person. Viral Loads and Enzymes change much they cannot be used as an indicator.
I think testing should be done after all surgeries where a patient receives a blood transfusion. An above post indicated that the blood supply was safe after 1992. One of my relatives had a post op blood transfusion and contracted Hep C. He didn't find out until routine bloodwork was done more than 12 years later. I'm not sure how the doctors were so certain that it was the blood transfusion that caused the Hep C. He developed cirrhosis of the liver and by the time he found out, he was too old to be considered for a transplant. His operation and transfusion was post 1992.
"So, don’t fear contact with anyone that is HCV positive but fear contact with everyone’s blood."
How I wish more people understood that one.
The last study I read said it can live in blood outside the body for up to 4 days.
HIV dies when it hits the air.
How I wish more people understood that one.
The last study I read said it can live in blood outside the body for up to 4 days.
HIV dies when it hits the air.
Yes and No, HCV can only be transmitted from blood to blood contact. It cannot be transmitted through Body Fluids (semen, saliva, tears, sweat, etc). When HCV can be transmitted through sex is considered “Rough Sex” that causes bleeding such as Anal (especially with multiple partners) and Violent Sex (such as rape) where both people are bleeding. I was married and infected for the entire 25 years before being diagnosed and my wife tested negative. The biggest difference between transmission of HIV and HCV is HIV dies on contact with air and HCV under the right conditions can live for days exposed to air. So, don’t fear contact with anyone that is HCV positive but fear contact with everyone’s blood.
I also think testing is a great idea. My aunt didn't know she had it until she was very very ill (critically so), then was tested and shocked to find out she had it. So many do seem to believe they are safe from it if they don't lead "high risk" lifestyles, but when she got it I learned that was certainly not the case. She is about as low risk as they come. No idea where it came from. Anyway, she did need and did get a liver transplant. I'm not clear on what treatments she received since then, but she is doing very well. I have decided to have myself tested.
It's interesting that more testing isn't mandatory. At work we have to be up to date with all vaccines (Hep A &:B, etc). We are also required to be tested for Tubercleosis regularly amongst other things. Yet we are not required to be tested for Hep C. I wonder why that is?
R - I was a bit surprised to read your post that getting it from regular sex was rare. I had always thought that it was transmitted much the same way's as HIV. Is that not correct? Is it just blood that transmits and not other body fluids?
It's interesting that more testing isn't mandatory. At work we have to be up to date with all vaccines (Hep A &:B, etc). We are also required to be tested for Tubercleosis regularly amongst other things. Yet we are not required to be tested for Hep C. I wonder why that is?
R - I was a bit surprised to read your post that getting it from regular sex was rare. I had always thought that it was transmitted much the same way's as HIV. Is that not correct? Is it just blood that transmits and not other body fluids?
I should have used sterilize instead of sanitize.
If anyone has a question concerning HCV please feel free to ask. You are not going to make us feel uncomfortable and we will be more than happy to answer your questions. Concerning HCV, Ignorance is not Bliss.
If it is something you want to ask in private just PM one of us.
If anyone has a question concerning HCV please feel free to ask. You are not going to make us feel uncomfortable and we will be more than happy to answer your questions. Concerning HCV, Ignorance is not Bliss.
If it is something you want to ask in private just PM one of us.
Right.
How I wish I'd been tested before the virus ravaged my liver.
No doctor ever mentioned it to me, and the dermatologist I saw about the red mark on my upper chest ( which later I learned was caused by cirrhosis) told me it was from sun damage.
He never mentioned doing a liver function test at all.
How I wish I'd been tested before the virus ravaged my liver.
No doctor ever mentioned it to me, and the dermatologist I saw about the red mark on my upper chest ( which later I learned was caused by cirrhosis) told me it was from sun damage.
He never mentioned doing a liver function test at all.
Everyone should be tested. Like OH stated, there are many ways to contract HCV (regular sex is very rare). Even though the Blood Supply was not safe until 1992 and IV Drug users are high risk, some risks are rarely discussed like Veterans who received air gun inoculations, Dentist didn’t always sanitize their instruments the way they do now. Any of you Ladies ever bled when having your nails done? Whose to say the person before you didn’t bleed also and they didn’t properly sanitize their instruments between customers. Keep in mind, it can take decades before HCV shows any signs. There is no reason an Anti-Body test should not be mandatory when someone gets a physical. About 20-25% (according to which study you read) clear the Virus on their on. However, rather the virus was cleared naturally our by treatment, the Anti-Bodies will remain forever. We are not trying to make anyone panic but the fact is, no one is immune. A simple blood test is all that is needed for the Anti-Bodies.
I think all adults should be tested. If a family member is positive the rest of the family should be tested.
Although I didn't know I had it while raising my children, they tested negative.
from hepcchallenge.org
HCV Facts
The Hepatitis C Crisis
Hepatitis C is the most common, chronic blood-borne viral infection in the U.S.
An estimated 5 million Americans have been infected with the hepatitis C virus.
2 out of 3 people are unaware that they have the virus.
Hepatitis C can show no symptoms until advanced liver damage develops.
There is no vaccine to protect against hepatitis C infection.
Early diagnosis is essential to controlling the spread of
hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C is a treatable disease if identified before significant complications develop.
Chronic liver disease is among the top ten killers of Americans 25 years of age and older.
Hepatitis C is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the U.S. accounting for 40-60% of all cases.
Hepatitis C is the most common indication for adult liver transplantation in the United States.
Complications associated with HCV-related cirrhosis are projected to increase dramatically in the next decade - liver failure by 106%, liver cancer by 81%, and liver-related deaths by 180%.
HCV-related end-stage liver disease is a leading cause of death among people coinfected with HIV.
The social and fiscal costs of HCV are skyrocketing. The projected costs of the current HCV epidemic, if left unchecked, will be over $85 billion for the next decade.
Although I didn't know I had it while raising my children, they tested negative.
from hepcchallenge.org
HCV Facts
The Hepatitis C Crisis
Hepatitis C is the most common, chronic blood-borne viral infection in the U.S.
An estimated 5 million Americans have been infected with the hepatitis C virus.
2 out of 3 people are unaware that they have the virus.
Hepatitis C can show no symptoms until advanced liver damage develops.
There is no vaccine to protect against hepatitis C infection.
Early diagnosis is essential to controlling the spread of
hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C is a treatable disease if identified before significant complications develop.
Chronic liver disease is among the top ten killers of Americans 25 years of age and older.
Hepatitis C is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the U.S. accounting for 40-60% of all cases.
Hepatitis C is the most common indication for adult liver transplantation in the United States.
Complications associated with HCV-related cirrhosis are projected to increase dramatically in the next decade - liver failure by 106%, liver cancer by 81%, and liver-related deaths by 180%.
HCV-related end-stage liver disease is a leading cause of death among people coinfected with HIV.
The social and fiscal costs of HCV are skyrocketing. The projected costs of the current HCV epidemic, if left unchecked, will be over $85 billion for the next decade.
Well, it sounds like a good idea then to test everyone! Hope they go through with the guideline that all get tested.
Hep C is such an odd virus in that it affects people differently.
Some people never have problems with it, their livers remain healthy.
Yet, others will develop cirrhosis and can die from it.
The virus doesn't make sense in many ways.
Back to your question, treatment is easier if done earlier.
It's much harder once cirrhosis sets in. Treatment is not easy or quick and is full of difficult side effects.
Currently there are new promising treatments in trial that could be available to the public in a few years.
The liver being the amazing regenerative organ that it is, can recover once hep C is no longer attacking it, as long as there isn't advanced cirrhosis..
Some people never have problems with it, their livers remain healthy.
Yet, others will develop cirrhosis and can die from it.
The virus doesn't make sense in many ways.
Back to your question, treatment is easier if done earlier.
It's much harder once cirrhosis sets in. Treatment is not easy or quick and is full of difficult side effects.
Currently there are new promising treatments in trial that could be available to the public in a few years.
The liver being the amazing regenerative organ that it is, can recover once hep C is no longer attacking it, as long as there isn't advanced cirrhosis..
I do llike testing and catching things early. If you diagnose hep C earlier does it have great advantage? Do they begin treating to save your liver??
It did come back because it never went away. Sometimes the new liver is able to keep it at bay but mine did not. I just finished treatment. It's gone though I won't be considered cured, for at least 6 months.
Yes, I take a minimal amount of anti-rejection meds. I'm very fortunate in many ways. I've never had a rejection episode. My daughter was my living donor, which I think is great, helping to make it a good match.
My story is long and amazing in many way. Too much to go into in now.
Yes, I take a minimal amount of anti-rejection meds. I'm very fortunate in many ways. I've never had a rejection episode. My daughter was my living donor, which I think is great, helping to make it a good match.
My story is long and amazing in many way. Too much to go into in now.
Wow orphan! You are a walking success story. So will the hep c come back? You said a transplant does not rid the body of the virus is why I ask.
Congratulations! Do you still take drugs for the rejection therepy? I hope you dont mind me asking. Dont answer if you dont want to I shouldnt get so personal.
Congratulations! Do you still take drugs for the rejection therepy? I hope you dont mind me asking. Dont answer if you dont want to I shouldnt get so personal.
There is no vaccine but there is a test and it can't hurt to be tested.
Unfortunately too many people think you can only get it from IV drug use or a blood transfusion.
It is transmitted blood to blood and is a hardy virus capable of living for up to 4 days outside the human body. At least 10% of those infected do not know how they got it.
Hep C is now the number one cause of all liver transplants in the US, and kills more people than AIDS.
for more info:
http://www.hepcchallenge.org/facts.htm
BTW: I was diagnosed with hep C in late 2005. By then I had advanced cirrhosis. The few symptoms I had I attributed to going through menopause.
If not for a transplant in 2009, I would not be sitting here typing. And now, having completed treatment8 weeks ago, I am hep C free.
( A transplant doesn't rid one of the virus as it lives in the blood)
Unfortunately too many people think you can only get it from IV drug use or a blood transfusion.
It is transmitted blood to blood and is a hardy virus capable of living for up to 4 days outside the human body. At least 10% of those infected do not know how they got it.
Hep C is now the number one cause of all liver transplants in the US, and kills more people than AIDS.
for more info:
http://www.hepcchallenge.org/facts.htm
BTW: I was diagnosed with hep C in late 2005. By then I had advanced cirrhosis. The few symptoms I had I attributed to going through menopause.
If not for a transplant in 2009, I would not be sitting here typing. And now, having completed treatment8 weeks ago, I am hep C free.
( A transplant doesn't rid one of the virus as it lives in the blood)
There is no vaccination for HCV only A&B
I lost my dearest and bestest friend from this as well. She like your aunt, quit drinking once diagnosed, straightened out her life and eventually diagnosed with cirrhosis and then cancer of the liver. Because of the cancer she couldnt make the transplant list and died at the ripe old age of 45. Oh God I miss her still!
I never got tested. Guess I should get vaccinated. Last year it was whooping cough, this year hep c... What next.
I never got tested. Guess I should get vaccinated. Last year it was whooping cough, this year hep c... What next.
My aunt died because of Hep C.
She didn't know she was ill for a while and ignored a lot of the symptoms. She finally decided to go to the doctor and after numerous tests he confirmed that she did indeed have Hep C.
She flew right for a while and got a good "diagnosis" that her liver was functioning at a higher level, that the docs did not expect this, and my aunt took that as "I'm cured".
My aunt was a functioning alcoholic for decades. When she got the Hep C diagnosis, she gave up drinking. But as soon as she heard that her liver was working better than expected, she went straight back to her own ways.... Very sad, and I've seen a few people go down like this.
She didn't know she was ill for a while and ignored a lot of the symptoms. She finally decided to go to the doctor and after numerous tests he confirmed that she did indeed have Hep C.
She flew right for a while and got a good "diagnosis" that her liver was functioning at a higher level, that the docs did not expect this, and my aunt took that as "I'm cured".
My aunt was a functioning alcoholic for decades. When she got the Hep C diagnosis, she gave up drinking. But as soon as she heard that her liver was working better than expected, she went straight back to her own ways.... Very sad, and I've seen a few people go down like this.
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