'Don't panic over hepatitis - UK

[Guest guest]

HEALTH: 'Don't panic over hepatitis'

CITY residents are being urged not to panic after claims were made that

thousands of people could die from the liver infection hepatitis C.

Fears were raised when it was reported that a man from Friday Bridge, near

Wisbech, had contracted the potentially-fatal infection from a blood

transfusion given to him at borough District Hospital.

Stuart Oliver (47) died of cancer and chronic liver disease in January last

year. Weeks before his death, doctors discovered he also had hepatitis C

(HCV) and said he had contracted the disease from the transfusion, given to

him in 1987 following a car crash.

It was reported that thousands of other patients who had had transfusions

before 1991, when routine screening was introduced, could also be infected.

An investigation in 1995, ordered by the Chief Medical Officer, failed to

identify everyone infected by the " bad blood " .

The National Blood Service says only 0.5 per cent of the UK's population

currently has the disease, which is transmitted through contact with

infected blood.

Ruth Greenaway, spokeswoman for NBS, said: " It is clear that blood

transfusion has been responsible for a very small proportion of HCV

infections in the population. Experts have calculated that the total number

of HCV infections in England is 250,000, or 0.5 per cent of the population. "

She added: " People infected by blood transfusion before 1991 probably

numbered several thousand.

" Almost two thirds of them would have died of their underlying illness which

made the blood transfusion necessary, or of incidental causes, before the

HCV review in 1995.

" The National Blood Service has always advised that any person who received

a blood transfusion before 1991, and who is concerned, should ask their GP

for a test. "

She explained that the chances of contracting hepatitis C from an infected

blood transfusion were less than one in 10 million.

Hill, spokesman for Petebrough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation

Trust said: " The trust never received any instruction from the Regional

Transfusion Centre, which co-ordinated the look-back exercise, to check its

records against blood products that would have been relevant to the

deceased. There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that the trust failed

to comply with the chief medical officer's guidance. "

..In December 2004, the NHS launched a helpline and website, alerting people

who received blood before 1991 that they could be at risk. Anyone with

concerns should call 0800 451 451, or visit www.hepc.nhs.uk

28 January 2006

http://www.peterboroughnow.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=845 & ArticleID=13314\

52

_________________________________________________________________

Don’t just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search!

http://search.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200636ave/direct/01/