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National push to get at-risk groups tested for Hep C
A new campaign is to be launched by the Scottish Government in March, encouraging groups at risk of having the Hepatitis C virus to come forward for testing.
Nursing staff are among a range of professional groups who are being encouraged to update their knowledge around the virus and to understand how they can play their part in getting at-risk individuals into testing and treatment.
Hepatitis C is a potentially fatal liver blood-borne virus. However, early diagnosis and anti-viral treatment can completely clear the virus in up to 80% of cases, reduce liver damage and long term complications, and prevent those infected from transmitting the virus to others.
Although the majority of people with Hepatitis C will have caught the virus through injecting drug use, eight in ten people infected are not currently injecting drugs.
There are currently around 50,000 people living with Hepatitis C in Scotland, with as many as 60% of these cases undiagnosed and many of those who have had a positive diagnosis not in treatment.
Linda Buchan is a Blood Borne Virus Nurse with the Scottish Prison Service. She said:
“The prison setting is an important one for the testing and treatment of Hepatitis C. When someone is admitted here, it is now standard procedure to offer them tests for viruses such as Hepatitis C and we find that most prisoners agree to have the test.
“There is still confusion among inmates about the different types of Hepatitis and how the virus is spread so we make sure they have the information they need to decide whether they may have been at risk. We don’t have any prisoners currently injecting drugs which reinforces the message that this is not just a virus to be found in injecting drug users.
“Some of our inmates have however injected drugs in the past and if they shared needles or other equipment, this clearly puts them at risk. Another risk factor common to prisons is amateur tattoos, where needle sharing increases the risk of infections spreading. All it takes is blood to blood contact.
“If any of our inmates test positive for Hepatitis C, I make sure they are aware of how the virus is transmitted to others and the importance of partners etc also being tested.
“Hepatitis C is a serious issue in Scotland and it’s important for all services to work together to tackle it.”
Nursing staff can access the website www.hepcscotland.co.uk to view information on testing, referral and treatment of the virus.
