Media Release
29 October 2002
Hepatitis C Action Plan released
TODAY the Ministry of Health releases Action on Hepatitis C Prevention, a
plan to minimise the spread of hepatitis C in New Zealand.
"We've taken an important step in answering the strong and ongoing demand
for action on preventing hepatitis C. The transmission of hepatitis C, a viral
infection of the liver, is a global health concern," said Ministry
spokesperson Dr Douglas Lush.
"It is difficult to determine how many people have hepatitis C. However,
worldwide it has been estimated that 170 million or about three percent of the
world population are infected with the virus. Around three-four million people
are newly infected each year with the virus."
It has been estimated that approximately 25,000 New Zealanders are
currently infected with hepatitis C and this number is predicted to increase
by 50 percent over the next ten years, said Dr Lush, Public Health Senior
Advisor.
"Hepatitis C is transmitted through exposure to infected blood. With
today's high safety standards associated with our blood and blood products,
the risks of transfusion-transmitted infections in New Zealand are extremely
low. The greatest risk for transmission of hepatitis C is through
blood-to-blood contact involved with injecting drug use," said Dr Lush.
Dr Lush said the use of illicit drugs by injection has become the single
most important risk factor for acquiring hepatitis C and accounts for around
80 percent of infections.
Therefore, "reducing hepatitis C transmission in injecting drug users is
the highest priority," he said. "Another priority is developing a hepatitis C
resource manual for stakeholders and health providers."
The action plan shows what has to be done in order to reduce both the
transmission and the personal and social impacts of hepatitis C. A discussion
document and focus group meetings with stakeholders preceded the final
development of the action plan. The consultation process showed widespread
support for the importance of defining priorities for the future.
The Action on Hepatitis C Prevention is available on the Ministry of Health
web site (www.moh.govt.nz/cd/hepc).
ENDS
For more information contact:
Kim Purdy Media Advisor Government & Sector Relations\Communications
Corporate & Information Directorate Ministry of Health DDI: 04 496 2483
Mobile: 025 277 5411 Fax: 04 496 2010
http://www.moh.govt.nz mailto:kim_purdy@moh.govt.nz
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis C is primarily spread by contact with infected human blood and,
previously, unscreened blood and blood products were a major source of
infection. Since the introduction of screening of donated blood in 1992, the
risk of hepatitis C transmission in New Zealand through blood and blood
products has become very remote.
Today the greatest risk of transmission is through blood to blood contact
involved with injecting drug use. It is very difficult to estimate the number
of injection drug users, but it has been estimated that approximately
13,500?26,600 people are opioid-dependent in New Zealand. As not all those who
inject drugs are dependent or opioid users, the population risk is likely to
be larger.
Minimising harm caused by alcohol and drug use is a priority in the New
Zealand Health Strategy.
Acute hepatitis C infection usually produces only a mild illness, and is
often totally asymptomatic. Research has shown that approximately 25 percent
of people with hepatitis C will clear the virus within two to six months of
becoming infected. The other 75 percent of people who do not clear the virus
will have an ongoing, or chronic infection.
Chronic infection by hepatitis C can lead to years of ill health, reduced
quality of life and in some instances, social isolation. About half of those
with chronic infection will develop cirrhosis, liver failure or cancer of the
liver. However, these developments can take over 20 years or longer to
develop.
Although hepatitis C treatment with antiviral therapy can prevent
progression to chronic liver disease, this therapy is limited by poor
tolerability and poor efficacy. Other treatments are still in the early stages
of development. Unlike hepatitis A and hepatitis B, there is currently no
hepatitis C vaccine available and the development of an effective vaccine is
not imminent.
The key to the control of hepatitis C therefore lies in prevention
programmes focusing on those at risk of infection, and those who are already
infected, to avoid further disease transmission.
Some of the current programmes for the control and prevention of hepatitis
C include:
Provision of information to groups at risk about the risk of infection and
means to reduce it;
Provision of safe, clean injecting equipment to injecting drug users
through needle exchanges;
Provision of drug treatment programmes for injecting drug users;
Screening and testing of human blood for transfusion;
Application of standard precautions approach to minimise blood exposures in
health care and other settings;
Identifying and testing people at risk; and
Providing information to people with hepatitis C about ways to limit
transmission to others and to prevent co-morbidity.
ENDS
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