Urgent plea to identify thousands of ‘missing hepatitis C’ cases in London

Health officials issued an urgent plea on Monday to identify thousands of “missing cases” of hepatitis C in London, as data revealed that one in five of all treated infections occurs in the capital.

If left untreated, the virus can cause severe and life-threatening liver damage, but often goes undetected for years because patients do not develop symptoms. It is spread through blood-to-blood contact, including sharing razors or needles.

An estimated 70,000 people in England have hepatitis C but don’t know it, according to analysis by diagnostics company Preventx. The virus can be easily treated with a short course of antiviral tablets.

Nearly two-thirds of Londoners (62%) know little or nothing about hepatitis C, while 60% don’t know how it is spread, a Preventx survey published on Monday showed.

The latest NHS figures show more than a fifth (21%) of hepatitis C treatments are prescribed in London.

Rachel Halford, chief executive of the Hepatitis C Trust, warned that public awareness of the virus remained low and there was a “lack of testing among the public”.

“There are probably thousands of people who don’t know they are at risk of contracting the virus. It may be years before you develop any symptoms of hepatitis C, but if the virus goes undetected it can cause damage to your liver , can be life-threatening. Fortunately, hepatitis C can be cured with a short course of pills.”

Hepatitis C self-test kits have been available on the NHS in England since May.

This free, confidential service is designed for people who may not have access to other services or contact their GP.

The tests can be ordered online and involve taking a blood sample from a finger prick, which is then sent for analysis.

Mark Gillyon-Powell, head of the NHS Hepatitis C elimination program, told the Standard: “London is on track to be one of the first major cities in the world to eliminate Hepatitis C. .

“Thanks to NHS initiatives, London leads the country in testing for blood-borne viruses in hospital emergency departments, successfully identifying undiagnosed cases of hepatitis B and C and HIV, and is the first in England to use general practice Doctors’ City Champions programme, with dedicated GPs across the capital, is helping to support primary care testing to accelerate progress towards eliminating the disease in London.

“We know there are still thousands of people living with undiagnosed hepatitis C, which can be fatal, which is why we urge anyone who may have been exposed to hepatitis C, even a few years ago, to order for free here , fast and simple testing.”