2.7M
Americans May Have Hepatitis C
05:10 PM ET 08/18/99 - AP,
At least 2.7 million Americans carry the
hepatitis C virus, making it the most common blood-borne
infection in the United States, a study found. The
study from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention in Atlanta represents the first look at the
prevalence of hepatitis C in the United States. The
estimate was published in Thursday's New England Journal
of Medicine.
``This is what we consider a conservative
estimate,'' said Dr. Harold S. Margolis of the CDC.
``This is everyday Mr. and Mrs. American who live in a
household. This doesn't include the homeless and the
prison population. The number could be higher.'' For
reasons that aren't entirely clear, an estimated 1.2
million other people who were once infected no longer
have any signs of the virus, Margolis said.
``We and others have said that once infected,
not everyone remains infected. Unfortunately, it's still
a pretty high percentage that stay infected, 75
percent,'' he said. Scientists discovered the
virus in 1989.
People who inject illegal drugs or engage in
unprotected sex account for most people who carry
hepatitis C, but people who had blood transfusions
before mid-1992 also are at risk.
The disease and alcohol abuse rank as the
leading causes of liver disease. The infection can lead
to cirrhosis and liver cancer and results in about 1,000
liver transplants annually in the United States.
The standard treatment is the drug interferon
or a combination of interferon and ribavirin. In some
patients, drugs can make all signs of the virus
disappear, but it's unclear how long the effect lasts.
Related Links:
Hepatitis
C
Study:
Hepatitis Behind Cancer
Mandatory
hepatitis shots urged
U.S.
study sees jump in liver transplant demands
