| What is hepatitis C? |
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| Hepatitis C is inflammation of the liver caused by an infection with
the hepatitis C virus. Many people who have hepatitis C have no symptoms
and feel well. For some, the most common symptom is extreme tiredness. |
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| How do people get hepatitis C? |
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| Hepatitis C is transmitted through exposure to contaminated
blood and other body fluids. The Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI) and
other health officials recommend that all people who fall into the
following risk categories be tested for hepatitis C. |
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Sharing razors or toothbrushes
with an infected person.
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A high risk health care occupation
that may involve needlesticks or other exposure to blood.
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Receiving a tattoo or body
piercing with contaminated needles.
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Unprotected sex with multiple
partners.
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Use of IV drugs or intranasal
cocaine.
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Receiving a blood transfusion
before March 1992.
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| How many people in the USA are infected with hepatitis C? |
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| It is estimated at 4.5 million Americans are infected with the disease
and most do not know it. Of those, 500,000 are incarcerated within
prisons. |
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| Why should I be tested for hepatitis C? |
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| Early diagnosis is important so you can learn how to protect
your liver from further harm and learn how to prevent spreading HCV
to others. Most importantly your physician can determine the
severity of liver disease and recommend treatment if indicated. |
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| How serious is hepatitis C? |
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| Hepatitis C is serious for some, but not for others. Most people
have some liver damage but many do not feel sick from the disease. |
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| Is there treatment available for hepatitis C infection? |
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| Current therapy involves alpha interferon and other antiviral drugs. Because
of advances in the field of treatment for chronic hepatitis C, recommendations
may change so it is advisable to consult a liver specialist (hepatologist
and/or gastroenterologist) who is knowledgeable in this area. |
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| If I have hepatitis C, what precaution should I take? |
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See your physician regularly
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Do not drink alcohol
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Do not start any new medicines,
including over-the-counter and herbal medicines without checking
with your physician
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Get vaccinated against hepatitis
A & B
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Since the risk of sexually
transmitting HCV is low but not absent, HCV positive people
with one long-term steady sex partner may not need to
change their sexual practices, but may choose to use barrier
precautions (e.g. latex condoms) and discuss with their
partner the need for counseling and testing.
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| How can a person get tested? |
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| OBI offers Hepatitis
C testing in our routine panel of testing which is $65.00. This panel
also includes testing for Hepatitis B, HIV, HTLV, RPR, ALT, blood type & cholesterol. PLEASE
DO NOT DONATE BLOOD
TO GET TESTED. Results are mailed within 10 working days. Testing
may be performed at any of the Oklahoma Blood Institute's 11 statewide
locations. |
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| What does a positive (Reactive) test mean? |
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| A positive test indicates you have probably been infected with the
hepatitis C virus. However, with every test, there is a possibility
of a false positive result which means that although the test is positive
or reactive, you are not infected with the virus. There is less
than a 5% chance of a false positive result with current hepatitis
C tests. A positive result should always be followed by supplemental
testing to confirm a hepatitis C infection. OBI will notify you
of a positive test result and recommend that you see your physician
for further evaluation. |
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| What are the chances of getting hepatitis C from a blood transfusion
today? |
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| Hepatitis C was isolated in 1989 and the first test was available
on May 5, 1990. All donated blood in the United States has been
tested for the hepatitis C virus since 1990. In addition, on
April 9, 1999, OBI began performing an investigational test called "nucleic
acid testing" (NAT) on every blood donation as part of a
national study to determine its effectiveness in reducing the already
low risks of hepatitis C viral infection through a blood transfusion. |
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With NAT in place, the current
risk of contracting hepatitis C from a blood transfusion is
1 per 1 million - 1 per 1.5 million (with NAT detecting 135
out of the 150 that are currently undetected)
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Without NAT testing, the risk
is 1 per 100,000 - 1 per 150,000.
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There is no vaccine available
to prevent hepatitis C.
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| Hepatitis Types |
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HEPATITIS A - Hepatitis
A is an RNA virus found in the gastrointestinal tract and found most
commonly in oral to fecal secretions/excretions.
HEPATITIS B - Hepatitis
B is caused by a DNA virus that is transmitted primarily through
blood and intimate sexual contact. There are specific
diagnostic tests that can determine either acute, persistent or
distant past infection. High titered hepatitis B immunoglobulin
can be used for short term protection. An effective vaccine is
available to provide active immunization.
HEPATITIS C - Hepatitis
C is caused by an RNA virus that is spread primarily through blood
or other bodily secretions. Diagnostic tests are available
that can determine whether an infection is acute or chronic. The
carrier rate approaches 80% of people infected with the virus
and ultimately causes chronic liver disease. Immunoglobulin
has not proven to be effective. Current therapy includes
alpha interferon and other antiviral drugs.
HEPATITIS D - Hepatitis
D, which is also called delta hepatitis, is caused by an RNA virus
and produces disease only in the presence of hepatitis B. It is
almost always associated with the use of intravenous drugs. Diagnostic
tests are not readily available but do exist.
HEPATITIS E - Hepatitis
E is caused by an RNA virus similar to hepatitis A and is endemic
in third world countries. It has an unusually high mortality rate
in pregnant women. There are no readily available diagnostic tests,
although these can be obtained on a research basis. There
is no known treatment.
HEPATITIS F - Hepatitis
F does not exist and no virus has been assigned to this letter
of the alphabet.
HEPATITIS G - Hepatitis
G is a virus that does not appear to proliferate within the liver
cells but does cause an elevation of the liver enzymes. It
does not appear to be associated with significant morbidity
or mortality.
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| Hepatitis Time Line |
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1983
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OBI proactively implemented Alanine Aminotransferase(ALT)
testing as a screen for a form of hepatitis known as non A
non B.
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1986
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OBI was one of the first blood centers in the nation to put
into place an additional hepatitis screening test called the
hepatitis B core antibody test. The test was not
required until 1987.
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1989
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The non A non B hepatitis virus was isolated, identified and
named hepatitis C.
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1990
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The first test for hepatitis C (HCV 1.0) became available
to blood centers on May 5, 1990. OBI immediately put this test
into place on May 5,1990.
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1992
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A second, improved test for hepatitis C (HCV 2.0) became available
to blood centers on March 16, 1992. OBI immediately put this
test in place on March 16, 1992. This test proved to be much
better than the original test, producing fewer false positives
and more accurate results.
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1996
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The third improvement of the hepatitis C test (HCV 3.0) was
implemented at OBI on July 1, 1996.
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1995-97
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A drug called Interferon began proving to be effective in
the treatment of hepatitis C.
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1997
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OBI and other health officials recommend that all people who
received a blood transfusion in the U.S. before 1992
be tested for hepatitis C. People who test positive for
hepatitis C are encouraged to visit their physicians for further
evaluation and treatment.
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1999
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OBI began Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) for HCV as an investigational
test to screen blood donations.
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| 2002 |
OBI began Single Unit - Nucleic Acid Testing
(SU-NAT) for the AIDS virus (HIV) and the Hepatitis C Virus
(HCV). |
| 2005 |
OBI began Single Unit - Nucleic Acid Testing
(SU-NAT) for the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). |
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