#1
Posted: 7/10/05 at 12:12pm
The way that the media and even some doctors would have the public believe is that Hepatitis C is a new epidemic that is sweeping the globe, killing thousands. Hepatitis C is not a new epidemic; it has been around since the 1960's or earlier. The majorities of people who are finding out that they have Hepatitis C have had it for many years, and did not know that they had it. Many of these people were not ill, and had no reason to believe that they had it. Testing for Hepatitis C is becoming routine in medical examinations, where it wasn't before. Because of the testing, perfectly healthy people are finding out that they have hepatitis C, and may have had it for many years. The Hepatitis C virus does not kill people; complications from liver disease that can be brought on by Hepatitis C can kill people. Certain activities, such as drinking alcohol to excess, increase the risk of liver disease. Any person born before the mid 1980's has shared needles with other people, in the hospital, at the dentist, while inoculated at school, or in the armed forces, and in tattoo parlors. Some people shared them with other illicit drug users. It is likely that at least one of those people sharing those needles, in all of these situations, had hepatitis C, and that the others may or may not have contracted the virus. It is also very likely that any person born before the mid 1980's who has had any sort of promiscuous sex life has also had sex with at least one person who has Hepatitis C. It is highly unlikely that Hepatitis C would be contracted in this way. The Center For Disease Control states that there is a 0% to 3% chance over a twenty-year period of contracting hepatitis C if your partner has Hepatitis C, and you have unprotected sex. There is no clear data to confirm that Hepatitis C is contracted sexually. If a person were to read only the headline's, they might believe that it is contracted sexually. They might also believe that a woman gave birth to a ten pound alien a few years ago. The only reason Hepatitis C is getting more attention is because they are starting to test for it more, and SOME of the people who got it many years ago are becoming ill, and SOME are dying. If the medical profession had known Hepatitis C would have become a health issue, twenty to forty years ago, they would have had a vaccine and a cure developed by now. Scientist's have developed drugs that cure many people of the virus, and new drugs are showing even more promise. Vaccines have been developed, and are currently being tested in clinical trials, showing good promise. It is likely that Hepatitis C will not be an issue in the near future. Hepatitis C has NOTHING in common with HIV/AIDS, except that it can be passed blood to blood. Many diseases are passed blood to blood. Before any person chooses to shun a family member, friend, or an acquaintance that has Hepatitis C, they should be tested themselves. People should also realize that many people with Hepatitis C choose not to tell anyone that they have it, because of the stigma that has attached itself to the disease. Three percent of the world's population knows that they have Hepatitis C; it is more likely that at least ten percent of the world's population has Hepatitis C. That is one in every ten people for those who need help with the math. Hepatitis C affects people from ALL walks of life. Do you know ten people?
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