In Western Australia hepatitis C is one of the most commonly notified diseases each year. There were 1108 cases of hepatitis C notified to the Health Department in 2005, with 105 of these known to be newly acquired infections. The majority (84% in 2005) of hepatitis C cases are found in people aged from 20 to 49 years, with a significant number (10% in 2005) of newly acquired infections being in adolescents aged from 15 to 19 years.
It is estimated that there are 200,000 people living with hepatitis C in Australia as at the end of 2006. About 1.3% of the population is believed to have been exposed to hepatitis C with the number of hepatitis C positive people being estimated to be more than 10 times greater than the number of HIV positive people.
Because there are often no, or minimal, symptoms at the time of infection many people live undiagnosed with hepatitis C for years, even decades, with no signs of ill-health. For this reason people may be infected and unknowingly transmit the virus to others.
Hepatitis C is not confined to one age group, one social or economic group, one race or culture. In Australia the majority of infections are attributable to injecting drug use and in particular the sharing if injecting drug use equipment. Other means of acquiring hepatitis C infection are through the receipt of blood products (prior to 1990), through unsterile tattooing or piercing procedures or mass vaccination programs overseas. In the Testing section below you will find a checklist of people considered at risk of hepatitis C infection for whom testing is recommended.
Bibliography
Western Australian Hepatitis C Action Plan 2006-2008, Department of Health Western Australia, 2006
