What were you doing 20 years ago? Any risky behaviour at parties?
If so, you could be among the one in 12 people worldwide living with hepatitis B or hepatitis C.
Many of those infected are unaware they have chronic viral hepatitis, said Jessica Chan, executive director of Hep CBC.
Hep CBC, in co-operation with AIDS Vancouver Island, organized an awareness event at the legislature at noon today to mark World Hepatitis Day.
B.C Centre for Disease Control estimates 600,000 Canadians living with hepatitis B and C are at risk of developing cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer.
In sa国际传媒, an estimated 60,000 people are infected with hep B and about the same number have hep C.
Symptoms can include fatigue, brain fog, flu-like feelings and pain in the abdomen, Chan said.
Hep B is curable and there is an effective vaccine. No vaccine is available to prevent hep C, but harm reduction strategies for IV drug users can reduce the number of infections. Those treated for hep C are looking at an 80 to 90 per cent cure rate although the side effects are unpleasant, Chan said.
A controversy around hep C treatment is that the province demands a test, showing a certain level of enzyme called alanine transaminase, before Pharmacare funds the treatment. A petition will be presented to the government today asking for the treatment criteria to be changed.
