Hepatitis C is transmitted much more easily than HIV through the following modes:
a) through infected blood, as till today many blood banks in India never screen blood for Hepatitis C.
b) infected needles,
c) barber nicks,
d) poorly sterilised dental surgeries and
e) even ear-piercing, accupuncture and tattooing.
FACT SHEET: HEPATITIS C
-> Hepatitis C has been dubbed as silent epidemic by doctors. By the year 2020 it will be killing more people than killed by AIDS. In India awareness about Hepatitis C is very rare. Every day estimated 200 infections are taking place. However Indian Government is not taking it as seriously as compared to AIDS. Hepatitis C is life threatening infection of the liver spread by blood to blood contact with infected blood or blood products. Rates of the disease in Britain are soaring while most people remain unaware they are infected. More than 400,000 people in the UK have the disease, and 100 new infections are occurring every week. It is already the main reason for liver transplants, and experts say that by 2020 it will be killing more people than Aids. HCV has the highest virus titers in untreated individuals and is viable for the most prolonged periods in needle syringes stored at room temperature. However, prevalence of HBV and HIV are only 1-2% within the Australian IDU population.
-> Hepatitis C (HCV) is a potentially life-threatening infection of the liver transmitted by blood-to-blood contact with infected blood and blood products. The U.S. estimates that approximately 4 million Americans were infected with HCV of whom 2.7 million are chronically infected.
-> An estimated 8,000-10,000 Americans die annually from complications related to HCV. The number of deaths attributed to HCV is expected to rise to 14,000-19,000 by 2030.
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