Doctor in Brooklyn, NY pushing the importance of hepatitis c virus infection screening for all adults

Hepatitis C, a viral infection that spreads through contaminated blood and which causes inflammation of the liver, can be dangerous when left untreated and could lead to severe liver damage. Hepatitis C is very treatable when detected. This makes screenings critical in the prevention, detection and treatment of hepatitis C. Dr. Alexander Shapsis and his team at Atlantic Gastroenterology highly encourages anybody who has not been screened for or feels they may have been exposed to Hepatitis C to come in and receive a screening.

Screenings are Critical

Hepatitis C screenings are a vital part of detecting the virus because you may not even realize you have it. Symptoms can be flu-like, nondescript and sometimes nonexistent. For most adults, only a single screening is necessary but, for those at an increased risk, screenings should occur more frequently. You may be at higher risk for Hepatitis C if:

• You have received a blood transfusion, blood products or an organ donation before June 1992.
• You are a health care worker and have suffered a needle-stick accident
• You are a user of injection drugs or have ever used an injection drug
• You were born to a Hepatitis C infected mother
• You engage in high-risk sexual behavior, participate with multiple partners or have an STD
• Snort cocaine using shared apparatus
• Share a toothbrush, razor or other personal items with any family member who is Hepatitis C positive

Symptoms of Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C travels through the blood, into the liver where it causes inflammation. It is considered the most common and chronic blood disease in the US and could lead to severe liver damage including:

• Cirrhosis
• Liver Cancer
• Death

Understanding the symptoms of Hepatitis C is important so that you can, even if you have been screened before with negative results, can go into a screening center for further treatment. Symptoms of Hepatitis C may include:

• Stomach pain
• Dark urine
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Jaundice
• Poor Appetite

If you have never been screened, feel you may fall under a high-risk group or are facing symptoms associated with Hepatitis C, please call Atlantic Gastroenterology at 718 521-2840 to schedule a screening today.

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