Health officials on Monday issued an urgent plea to identify thousands of “missing cases” of hepatitis C in London, as figures showed that a fifth of all treated infections are in the capital.
The virus can lead to severe and life-threatening liver damage if left untreated, but often goes undetected for years as patients do not develop symptoms. It is spread via blood-to-blood contact, including shared use of a razor or needle.
Around 70,000 people in England are estimated to have hepatitis C and do not know about it, according to analysis by diagnostics firm Preventx. The virus can easily be treated with a short course of antiviral tablets.
A survey released on Monday by Preventx shows that nearly two-thirds of people in London (62 per cent) have limited or no knowledge about hepatitis C, while 60 per cent were unaware of how it is passed on.
The most recent NHS figures show that over a fifth (21 per cent) of all treatments for hepatitis C are prescribed in London.
Rachel Halford, CEO of The Hepatitis C Trust, warned that public awareness of the virus remains low and there is a “lack of testing within the general public”.
“There may be thousands of people who do not know they are at risk of the virus. You can go many years before you experience any symptoms of hepatitis C but the damage the virus can do to your liver as it goes undetected can be life-threatening. Thankfully, hepatitis C can be cured via a short course of tablets.”
Self-testing kits for hepatitis C have been available from the NHS in England since May.
The free, confidential service is designed to reach people who may not access other services or do not feel able to approach their GP.
The tests, which can be ordered online, involve a sample of blood from a finger prick which is sent for analysis.
Mark Gillyon-Powell, Head of the Programme for HCV Elimination at NHS England, 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, the capital is leading the country for bloodborne virus testing in hospital emergency departments, which has successfully picked up undiagnosed cases of hepatitis B and C as well as HIV, and is also the first city in England to adopt a GP Champions programme, with dedicated GPs across the capital helping to support testing in primary care to accelerate London’s progress towards elimination.
"We know there are still thousands of people living with undiagnosed Hep C that could be fatal, which is why we are urging anyone who might have been exposed, even several years ago, to order a free, quick and easy test here.”
