Know Your Status 鈥� Get Tested.
That鈥檚 the message for those born between 1945 and 1975. Three out of four Canadians who have hepatitis C (HCV) fall within this age bracket.
Del Grimstad is one of those, but has successfully treated the virus that mostly attacks the liver, but can also cross the brain barrier.
鈥淲hich we鈥檝e suspected for many years, but they finally got proof of it,鈥� said Grimstad, a harm reduction worker at AIDS Vancouver Island (AVI) who co-facilitates a local Hep C peer group. He also co-chairs HepCBC in Victoria, and is part of a steering committee for Action Hepatitis Canada.
Many people infected with hep C never feel sick and recover. Others get a brief illness with fatigue and loss of appetite, and their skin and eyes turn yellow. If one鈥檚 body is not able to fend off the virus, a person may develop chronic hepatitis, which can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure or cancer. Like chronic hep B, chronic hep C is a 鈥榮ilent鈥� disease because symptoms often don鈥檛 appear until one鈥檚 liver is severely damaged.
鈥淭he virus itself is a very virulent virus,鈥� said Grimstad, noting HCV is contracted blood to blood. 鈥淲e think at least 25 per cent of people that have it don鈥檛 know it. That鈥檚 concerning because then they can unknowingly pass it on鈥ne of the problems with the virus is that it mutates very readily.鈥�
Percentage wise, he said 25 to 30 per cent of people 鈥渟pontaneously clear鈥� their body of the virus. For the remainder, about 30 per cent develop cirrhosis.
鈥淎bout 20 per cent of those eventually go on to cancer 鈥� if left untreated,鈥� Grimstad said.
As opposed to costly liver replacements, he treatments are now a pill a day with no side effects.
Friday, July 28 is World Hepatitis Day. FMI: hepcbc.ca or whdcanada.org
AVI is located at 355 Sixth St. in Courtenay.
