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Daryl Luster recalls the moment when he learned that he was suffering from hepatitis C. This was a surprise. He still felt tired and unable to concentrate, but he did not think about it.
It was only when he was in his fifties that he discovered that he had the disease and that it was becoming chronic. His liver was probably damaged.
"My world has collapsed.I did not know anything about hepatitis C. I thought it was a death sentence," said Luster, who is now the president. of the Pacific Hepatitis Network.
In fact, the disease is far from a death sentence, especially if taken early.In recent years, a cure for hepatitis C has been discovered and it is considered a success story in the medical world.
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Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. Scientists have identified five viruses of hepatitis.
Hepatitis A is usually transmitted through the consumption of water or contaminated food. There is a vaccine for the virus. Hepatitis E is similar but there is no vaccine and occurs mainly in Asia where it is transmitted by contaminated water.
Hepatitis B can spread through infected blood, semen and other body fluids. It can be sexually transmitted. There is also a vaccine against hepatitis B. Hepatitis D is a virus that requires replication of the hepatitis B virus.
Hepatitis C is mainly transmitted by the hepatitis B virus. Contaminated blood, which can be transmitted by blood transfusion or contaminated needles. Sexual transmission is also possible but is much less common and there is no vaccine against hepatitis C. However, most of the time, it can be treated with direct acting antivirals.
More 250,000 Canadians are infected with hepatitis C, but 40 to 70% do not know that they are carriers of the virus transmitted by the blood, as it can take decades before the symptoms manifest themselves. Chronic infection can lead to cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer.
Other symptoms include fatigue, flu-like symptoms, dark urine, fever, and jaundice. But sometimes the symptoms may not be obvious, says Mel Krajden, medical director of hepatitis at the BC Center for Disease Control
"The virus can remain silent for decades," says Mr. Krajden
. There was no screening for hepatitis C in 1990, hence the importance of baby boomers. This is because hepatitis C has only been discovered in the previous year.
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Hepatitis C: Why Do Canadian Doctors Recommend That Baby Boomers Get Tested for Virus
Krajden says there is a routine test that you can do to see if you have hepatitis. You can ask your doctor to do a blood test, where your blood is then examined for all types of hepatitis. He says that the burden sometimes falls on you as a patient.
"There is a lot of stigma associated with hepatitis C," says Krajden. Some people may be ashamed because they are sometimes associated with needle sharing and drug use, or because some health professionals may stigmatize patients because of it.
But Krajden says that's not the case. No matter how you have it, it is important to treat it as soon as possible before you have any real damage to your liver. Although about 25% of infected people are able to eliminate the virus with their own immune system, this is not the case for the majority of people, Krajden added.
With hepatitis C, you are treated with an anti-viral drug, which you take for about 8 to 10 weeks. Krajden says that in about 95% of cases he completely cures hepatitis C patients.
"It's amazing. We really have come a long way. It's a miracle of modern biology. "
So there is no reason why people should not be tested and treated.In the end, Krajden says that health professionals need to be trained to meet the needs of patients so that Stigmatization Disappears
With respect to hepatitis A and B, there are vaccines arriving in Canada Countries that may have unhealthy medical practices or high levels of food and water contamination should also be tested
"There are medications that can help reduce the risk of liver cancer," says Krajden. "The challenge is simply to diagnose people who need to be diagnosed."
] Files by Sheryl Ubelacker, Canadian Press
© 2018 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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