Interesting article published on the Courier News website – read it here.
Hepatitis C is a virus that causes inflammation of the liver and can spread through blood-to-blood contact.
GETTING a tattoo, a bellybutton ring or even a pedicure can seem a great idea while on holiday, but you may end up bringing home something more sinister than just some body ink or brightly coloured nails.
Experts working in the area of hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) are predicting a jump in the number of people contracting the viruses overseas because of the types of activities Australians are enjoying abroad.
While there’s a vaccine for HBV, there’s none for its hardy and virulent cousin HCV, which is often referred to as “the silent killer” because people can have no symptoms for years, even decades, until their liver has suffered severe, life-threatening damage, and even become cancerous.
“What we want all Australians to know before they head off on their overseas holiday is that any activity in which the skin is pierced can lead to infection with hepatitis – and, yes, that can include pedicures, tattoos and piercings, and even getting dental work done abroad,” Hepatitis Australia’s CEO Helen Tyrell says.
All that’s needed for the disease to be transmitted is for a microscopic amount of infected blood to be left on an instrument that pieces the skin or comes into contact with an open wound, she explains, adding the following warning: “Don’t engage in activities in which the skin may be pierced unless you’re sure the instruments have been fully sterilised.”
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