By Liam Verster

World Hepatitis Day

‘Hepatitis Can’t Wait’ the theme for annual World Hepatitis Day

Jul 28, 2021 | 1:13 PM

July 28 is World Hepatitis Day, a day intended to raise awareness of the viral infection and encourage people to find out their status.

Lindsay Loset, the Community Based Health and STBBI Program Manager at the Northreach Society in Grande Prairie, says the ‘Hepatitis Can’t Wait’ theme is meant to address the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many people’s lives, and may have led to this like getting blood tests put off for long periods of time.

“There are a lot of people who are living with Hepatitis who need testing and treatment done while we’re going through the global pandemic because as Hepatitis progresses it can lead to large amounts of liver damage and liver cancer. So we’re just reminding people that this is something that we all, across the world, need to take action on and raise awareness on and also do that testing.”

Hepatitis is a viral infection that attacks the liver, and though the early-stage symptoms consist mainly of flu-like symptoms, as time goes on it can lead to severe liver damage and liver cancer.

Loset says a blood test can be done through a family doctor or through Northreach to determine if a person is a carrier of Hepatitis. If that test comes back positive, then more tests may be needed.

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“In the case of Hepatitis C, if you did have a positive blood test you would get another test to see basically what strain of the virus you have to determine what treatment plan to go through.

“But then often with Hepatitis C testing you would also get what is called a FibroScan, and it’s basically an ultrasound of your liver, and it’s done to show if there’s any scarring or cirrhosis on your liver just to see how well it’s functioning or how much damage is going on.”

Hepatitis A and B can be treated with a vaccine, and while Loset says there isn’t a shot for Hep C, it can be treated.

“For Hepatitis C you have about 12 weeks of treatment. I believe it’s just oral, like antibiotics, but it’s an antiretroviral because it is a viral infection. So for 12 to 16 weeks, you have to do follow-ups just to make sure it’s working properly, but once you’re done that you should be good to go.”

Loset adds that one out of five Canadians carrying the Hepatitis virus are unaware that they are infected, and risk passing it on to others.

Hepatitis is passed through blood-to-blood contact. Loset says it’s mostly transmitted between people who share needles or have used improperly sterilized tattoo or piercing equipment. However, she adds Hepatitis is also been known to be prevalent in the Baby Boomer generation, as they may have been exposed to the virus at a young age before the sanitation practices in hospital settings were up to modern standards and have been living with the infection without being diagnosed.

“If you know you’re in that risk factor, then it’s definitely encouraged that when you go to your health care professional to ask for this specific test.”

Loset adds the Hepatitis test can usually be done by a family doctor or at a walk-in clinic, though it will need to go to a lab afterward. Northreach Society can also draw the blood for a test at their office in Grande Prairie. People who wish to book a test at Northreach can call 780-538-3388.