Allen Hospital - Hepatitis C Testing & Treatment

Hepatitis C is a silent disease. It slowly destroys the liver, decades before symptoms appear. If you’re a baby boomer, born between 1945 and 1965, the Center for Disease Control recommends a one-time test for hepatitis C now. Baby boomers may have contracted the disease before routine screening of donated blood and organs was standard, or risks of sharing IV needles were well-known.

The Allen Digestive Health Center tests, diagnoses and treats hepatitis C. The sooner you test, the better we can treat you and prevent complications. Ask your doctor to schedule your hepatitis C test with us, or call 319-234-5990.

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Who is at risk for Hepatitis C?

Some people are at increased risk for Hepatitis C, including:

People who received body piercing or tattoos done with non-sterile instruments (Click here for more info)
Current injection drug users (currently the most common way Hepatitis C virus is spread in the United States)
Past injection drug users, including those who injected only one time or many years ago
Recipients of donated blood, blood products, and organs (once a common means of transmission but now rare in the United States since blood screening became available in 1992)
People who received a blood product for clotting problems made before 1987
Hemodialysis patients or persons who spent many years on dialysis for kidney failure

People with known exposures to the Hepatitis C virus, such as
- Health care workers injured by needlesticks
- Recipients of blood or organs from a donor who tested positive for the Hepatitis C virus
HIV-infected persons
Children born to mothers infected with the Hepatitis C virus

Less common risks include:

Having sexual contact with a person who is infected with the Hepatitis C virus
Sharing personal care items, such as razors or toothbrushes, that may have come in contact with the blood of an infected person

Additional Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Recommend Hepatitis C Testing for Baby Boomers
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/08/16/158935794/cdc-recommends-hepatitis-c-testing

FAQS About Hepatitis C
http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/C/cFAQ.htm#overview

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