Health Dept. Follows CDC's Lead in Urging Hepatitis C Tests Among Baby Boomers
By: Melanie Chapman
Updated: August 20, 2012
The CDC issued the recommendations because the number of Americans dying from the virus has been growing.
Baby boomers are five time more likely to be in infected than other adults.
Health officials say those at higher risk are current and former IV drug users, those born to Hepatitis C positive mothers and those who received blood transfusions prior to 1992 when widespread screening began.
"Fifteen-thousand people die every year because of Hepatitis C-related illnesses," says Kendra Findley with the Springfield-Greene County Health Department. "Like cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer, Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease. Your symptoms can range for mild to severe. It can even cause death."
Health officials say it can take decades for the virus to cause liver damage and before there are any symptoms.
They add that Hepatitis C is treatable if caught in time. About 3-percent of baby boomers tested positive for the virus.
