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Blue Springs, MO —
As if baby boomers don’t have enough health issues to think about as they retire and enter their golden years, there may be something from their youth haunting them physically. And it could be serious.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all adults born between 1945 and 1965 get a blood test to see if they have the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
Baby boomers account for 2 million of the 3.2 million Americans infected with the blood-borne liver-destroying virus. CDC officials believe testing could lead to 800,000 more boomers getting treatment saving more than 120,000 lives.
Between 1999 and 2007, statistics showed a 50 percent increase in the number of Americans dying from HCV-related diseases. While the hepatitis C virus was first identified in 1989, health officials believe hundreds of thousands of infections were occurring in the 1970s and 1980s when boomers were young adults.
Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease resulting from infection with the virus. The virus is not spread through kissing or casual contact. Typically, people get infected by sharing needles or other equipment used to inject drugs. In fact, about 60 percent of new cases of hepatitis C can be traced to injection drug use. (That’s also a major risk factor for hepatitis B infection.)
Before 1992, when widespread screening of the blood supply began in the United States, hepatitis C was also commonly spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants. It can range in severity from a mild illness (acute) lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness (chronic). The virus, which may take many years to develop, gradually scars the liver, leading to cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Symptoms include:
- Mild fatigue
- Aching in your joints and muscles
- Nausea
- Lack of appetite
- Tenderness in the areas of your liver
Health experts warn that 75 to 85 percent of those who become infected with hepatitis C develop chronic infection and most of those infected do not show any symptoms. Chronic hepatitis C can result in long-term health problems or even death. Today some 17,000 infections occur annually and is the leading cause of liver transplants.
The CDC recommends being tested if:
- You were born between 1946 and 1964.
- You had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992.
- You have been sexually active.
- You have ever experimented with drugs (even once).
- You feel constantly over-tired.
The virus differs from hepatitis A and B because it can be cleared from the body if treated successfully. Clearing the virus reduces the danger to your liver. Antiviral drugs are the only medicines used to treat long-term (chronic) hepatitis C. These medicines can help prevent the hepatitis C virus from damaging your liver. They can be expensive, and do not eliminate the virus in everyone. Two promising drugs just on the market last year are expected to cure many more people than was previously possible.
As if baby boomers don’t have enough health issues to think about as they retire and enter their golden years, there may be something from their youth haunting them physically. And it could be serious.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all adults born between 1945 and 1965 get a blood test to see if they have the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
Baby boomers account for 2 million of the 3.2 million Americans infected with the blood-borne liver-destroying virus. CDC officials believe testing could lead to 800,000 more boomers getting treatment saving more than 120,000 lives.
Between 1999 and 2007, statistics showed a 50 percent increase in the number of Americans dying from HCV-related diseases. While the hepatitis C virus was first identified in 1989, health officials believe hundreds of thousands of infections were occurring in the 1970s and 1980s when boomers were young adults.
Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease resulting from infection with the virus. The virus is not spread through kissing or casual contact. Typically, people get infected by sharing needles or other equipment used to inject drugs. In fact, about 60 percent of new cases of hepatitis C can be traced to injection drug use. (That’s also a major risk factor for hepatitis B infection.)
Before 1992, when widespread screening of the blood supply began in the United States, hepatitis C was also commonly spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants. It can range in severity from a mild illness (acute) lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness (chronic). The virus, which may take many years to develop, gradually scars the liver, leading to cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Symptoms include:
- Mild fatigue
- Aching in your joints and muscles
- Nausea
- Lack of appetite
- Tenderness in the areas of your liver
Health experts warn that 75 to 85 percent of those who become infected with hepatitis C develop chronic infection and most of those infected do not show any symptoms. Chronic hepatitis C can result in long-term health problems or even death. Today some 17,000 infections occur annually and is the leading cause of liver transplants.
The CDC recommends being tested if:
- You were born between 1946 and 1964.
- You had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992.
- You have been sexually active.
- You have ever experimented with drugs (even once).
- You feel constantly over-tired.
The virus differs from hepatitis A and B because it can be cleared from the body if treated successfully. Clearing the virus reduces the danger to your liver. Antiviral drugs are the only medicines used to treat long-term (chronic) hepatitis C. These medicines can help prevent the hepatitis C virus from damaging your liver. They can be expensive, and do not eliminate the virus in everyone. Two promising drugs just on the market last year are expected to cure many more people than was previously possible.
The best way to prevent hepatitis C is by avoiding behaviors that can spread the disease, especially injection drug use. When getting a tattoo or body piercing, make sure the artist uses sterile needles, tools and ink, and follows good health practices. Do not share personal items that may have blood on them such as razors, nail files and toothbrushes. Clean up blood and blood-contaminated surfaces right away with detergent and water, followed by disinfecting with a household bleach and water solution (one-quarter cup bleach in one gallon of water). Cover any wounds.
Many people find out they have the virus by chance when donating blood, or as part of a routine checkup. This is one test that shouldn’t be left to chance.
