The City of St. Joseph Health Department announced Tuesday that it’s now offering testing for Hepatitis C through its Community Health division.
The City of St. Joseph Health Department Hepatitis C testing process involves some screening questions and a simple blood test which costs $10.00. Testing informs people if they have been exposed to the virus whether they are exhibiting symptoms or not. If the initial test returns “reactive” results, a second blood test, called RNA, should be performed by a primary care provider to confirm if a person is currently infected with Hepatitis C. If the RNA test is negative, this means a person does not have Hepatitis C. If the RNA test is positive, this means a person currently has Hepatitis C and should talk to a doctor experienced in diagnosing and treating the disease. It’s important to know your status, because successful treatment can eliminate the virus from the body and prevent liver damage, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer.
Hepatitis C is a serious viral disease primarily affecting the liver of those infected. The virus is blood born, and transmission may have occurred in millions of people who are unaware they have the disease. People born from 1945 through 1965 are in the highest risk group because of the high rates of Hepatitis C infection during the 1970’s and 1980’s coupled with uninformed and lax blood handling procedures. Of the more than 3 million people living with Hepatitis C, 75% were born from 1945 to 1965.
Others with higher risk factors include people who have received blood, blood products, or an organ transplant prior to June 1992; have used injectable drugs, even if only once; have HIV or hepatitis B; have been incarcerated; have a tattoo from an unregulated tattoo artist/parlor; have been on kidney dialysis for several years; were born to a mother with Hepatitis C; or are a health or public safety worker who could have been exposed to the blood of someone with Hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C can cause liver damage and liver failure. Over time, chronic Hepatitis C can cause serious health problems including liver damage, cirrhosis, liver cancer and even death. In fact, Hepatitis C is a leading cause of liver cancer and the number one illness leading to liver transplants.
Testing will be available daily by appointment. Call 816-271-4636 to schedule.