By Hugh Pym, Aurelia Foster Health Editor and Health Reporter
6 hours ago
Image source, Charlotte Dickens
image captionCharlotte Dickens, who received a blood transfusion in 1980, ordered a home kit after reading a BBC article
The Hepatitis C Trust says demand for hepatitis C tests has soared after the BBC revealed that hundreds of people in the UK were unknowingly infected with the virus.
Between the 1970s and 1991, up to 27,000 people were infected during transfusions of infected blood.
If left untreated, hepatitis can lead to chronic liver disease and death.
Hepatitis C, known as the “silent killer,” causes few symptoms in its early stages, with early symptoms including night sweats, foggy head, itchy skin, and fatigue. However, each year more people become infected with the virus, the likelihood of dying from cirrhosis and related cancers increases.
The Hepatitis C Trust told the BBC that 12,800 people in England had requested an NHS home test kit in just over a week, compared with 2,300 in April as a whole.
The charity said it was “inundated with calls from across the UK seeking further advice and testing”.
Rachel Halford, from the charity, said: “It's been incredible to see the response from the public as they become more aware of the risks of hepatitis C.”
“While most people who have been tested will be relieved to receive a negative result, it is important to identify those who are unaware of their condition and ensure that they receive easy and effective treatment. ”
undiagnosed cases
The BBC recently exclusively revealed the true scale of undiagnosed cases of the disease in connection with the infected blood scandal.
The BBC's calculation of 1,700 undiagnosed cases is based on statistics submitted to the Public Inquiry into the Blood Scandal and a Freedom of Information request to the Blood Support Scheme.
Official documents obtained by BBC News revealed that the UK government and NHS failed to properly track those most at risk of contracting the virus.
The BBC also revealed how authorities actively sought to limit public awareness of the virus to avoid embarrassing “bottlenecks” in hospital liver wards. Testing was restricted due to the “resource impact on the NHS”.
Charlotte Dickens, 70, was among those who requested a home test kit after this article was published and is awaiting her results.
Ms Dickens, from Surrey, suffered a hemorrhage during childbirth in 1980 and received a blood transfusion. She said she was “surprised” that she and others did not get tested for the disease after her risk became clear.
When news of the scandal first broke, she thought it wouldn't affect her. “I had no idea [hepatitis C]It can remain and cause liver cancer. What's the answer to why we weren't all tested? It's hard to find an excuse. ”
Ms Dickens added that she felt it was necessary to speak out given the number of lives lost as a result of the scandal.
image captionMaureen Arkley had been complaining of abdominal pain for several years before being diagnosed with hepatitis C
Approximately 3,000 people are known to have died as a result of receiving infected blood products.
However, it is believed that many people unknowingly became infected with hepatitis C and died.
Victoria Arkley recently told the BBC she was angry that her mother Maureen died of liver cancer so soon after being diagnosed with hepatitis C.
She believes she contracted the infection during a blood transfusion 47 years ago. “Where did the public health campaign go? Why didn't the doctors test her? They knew she had her blood transfusion, but no one tested her.” I was very angry.”
What is the infected blood scandal?
The infected blood scandal is regarded as the biggest care disaster in NHS history.
Most of those affected had blood disorders such as hemophilia or had received blood transfusions.
Because of the UK's shortage of blood products, many were sourced from the US and were purchased from high-risk donors such as prisoners and drug abusers.
Hepatitis C was not officially identified until 1989, but health authorities and NHS workers recognized as early as 1980 that this type of hepatitis was potentially fatal.
A public inquiry into the scandal is expected to announce its findings on Monday
If you may have had a blood transfusion in the 1970s, 80s or 90s and have health concerns, you can request a free NHS hepatitis C test in England at https://hepctest.nhs.uk . If you live in Wales, here are the details. In Scotland you will need to contact your GP.
