National Hepatitis Testing Day
"Baby boomers represent 76% of people in the U.S. with the hepatitis C virus but most who are ill are unaware of their infection." -- Nancy Steinfurth, Hep C Connection
DENVER, May 14, 2015
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new cure is possible for tens of thousands
of Coloradans infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) – a silent
killer responsible for most cases of liver disease, cirrhosis, liver
failure or liver cancer in the United States. But, the vast majority of those infected don't know they have the virus.
"The great news is that new treatments approved by the FDA in the last two years have up to a 95 percent cure rate," says Nancy Steinfurth, executive director for Denver's Hep C Connection. "Hepatitis C can now be cured in most patients."
People
who have HCV may have no symptoms or they may have "flu-like" symptoms.
They may have stomachaches, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting,
fatigue, weight loss, and in some cases jaundice – a yellow appearance
of the eyes or skin.
On May 19
– Annual National Hepatitis Testing Day – Hep C Connection and the
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, in partnership
with other non-profits and public health organizations, will host free
testing for anyone concerned they may have HCV. The fast-response test
requires a quick finger prick, and results are returned in 20 minutes.
Those who test positive will be given information and resources for
follow-up testing and care. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne illness that
has infected an estimated 70,000 Coloradans. To date, no vaccine has
been approved for HCV and Denver's 2014 Health of Denver
report shows deaths locally from HCV have increased sharply in the past
10 years. As many as 17,000 HCV related deaths occur annually in the United States. These rates are expected to peak between the years 2030 and 2035 at 36,000 deaths per year.
"Early detection is the best defense against the ravages of hepatitis C," says Steinfurth.
Anyone
can be tested, but Hep C Connection and the Colorado Department of
Public Health and Environment especially recommend testing for those
born between 1945 and 1965. Also at risk are those who had a blood
transfusion or a blood product like Rhogam before 1992, obtained a
tattoo outside of a licensed facility, or injected or snorted drugs –
even only once. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention says men who've had sex with other men should be tested.
Free
testing will be held at sites throughout Colorado. See below for test
sites and locations. Also visit Hep C Connection's Step Up to Hep blog
at:
http://stepuptohepco.wordpress.com/ for more information about hepatitis in Colorado.
CONTACT: Dede Laugesen • Media Relations • 719-659-3121
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY: Hep C Connection executive director and hepatitis expert Nancy Steinfurth is available for on-camera, in-studio or telephone interviews. You can contact Steinfurth directly at 303-523-6131.
Hep C Connection 1325 S. Colorado Blvd., Bldg. B, Ste. 302,
Denver, CO 80222
800-522-HEPC •
www.hepc-connection.org
TEST SITES for May 19, 2015
- Webb Municipal Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Two test sites:
- Grand Valley Catholic Outreach 245 S. 1st St., Grand Junction, CO: 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- WestCAP 805 Main St., Grand Junction, CO: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sister Mary Alice Murphy Center for Hope, 242 Conifer St., Fort Collins, CO: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Boulder County AIDS Project, 2118 14th St., Boulder, CO: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Two test sites:
- Boulder County Public Health 3482 Broadway, Boulder, CO: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Boulder County Public Health 529 Coffman St., #200, Longmont, CO: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Scales' Pharmacy, 1999 Pennsylvania St., Denver, CO: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Avella Specialty Pharmacy 1245 E. Colfax Ave., Ste. 102, Denver, CO: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- TASC 1702 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Colorado Springs, CO: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Three test sites:
- (May 18) Aurora Central Library, 14949 E. Alameda Pkwy., Aurora, CO: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- TCHD N. Broadway location, 7000 N. Broadway, Suite 400, Denver, CO: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- TCHD Northglenn location, 10190 Bannock St., Suite 100, Northglenn, CO: 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
CDPHE, Hep C Connection, & SCAP:
- Senior Resource Development Authority, 230 N. Union Ave., Pueblo, CO: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Pueblo City-County Health Department, 101 W. 9th St., Pueblo, CO: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Additional resources:
SOURCE Hep C Connection
Press Release Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/may-19-free-hepatitis-c-testing-300083738.htmlLabels: National Testing Day Colorado