Know Your Status– World Hepatitis Testing Week
The World Hepatitis Alliance has announced November 17th to 21st as World Hepatitis Testing Week. (www.worldhepatitisalliance.org)
During this week we encourage all people who do not know their hepatitis B or hepatitis C status to get tested.
In Queensland the latest data to the end of 2023, estimated around 13,260 people (Queensland Health Hepatitis C Plan 2030) (68,890 nationally -Viral Hepatitis Mapping Project: Hepatitis C National Report 2023-2024) are living with hepatitis C with 9% of them still do not know their condition. Hepatitis C can be easily cured with a short course (2-3 months) of highly effective medications.
In Queensland, an estimated 35,000 people are living with chronic hepatitis B (219,800 nationally – Viral Hepatitis Mapping Project: Hepatitis B National Report 2023), and 34% of them are unaware they have the condition (Queensland Health Hepatitis B Plan 2030). Much like other chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes, chronic hepatitis B requires regular monitoring to help reduce the risk of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure, but with appropriate management, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer can often be prevented if the condition is detected early enough.
Testing for hepatitis B and hepatitis C will let you know if:
• You have a current infection – this will mean you will require regular checkups for chronic hepatitis B and potential treatment. Remember, hepatitis C can be cured.
• You have been reinfected with hepatitis C. It’s important to know that people who have been cured of hepatitis C can be reinfected. Therefore, it is important to get tested again if you are exposed to other people’s blood, such as through unsterile medical, dental, or cosmetic procedures, or by sharing injecting drug equipment or personal items like toothbrushes etc.
• You are immune to hepatitis B from a past infection. Some people who are infected can clear the virus and develop lifelong protection. This means you cannot be reinfected and do not need the hepatitis B vaccination. However, it is important to know if you have ever been infected. Even though you have cleared the virus and cannot transmit it to others, having had the infection may require you to receive additional care for other conditions; for instance, some cancer treatments can reactivate the virus.
• You are NOT immune to the hepatitis B virus and therefore, it is recommended you be vaccinated to protect your health. Birth dose vaccinations have been given over the last 30 years or so – but it is still important to check as some people (a small number) do not get adequate protection.
ECCQ’s Love Health Program can help you get tested. The team is currently working with the Kirby Institute on a research project, which allows us to offer free testing for:
1. Hepatitis B surface antigen. A positive result indicates a current infection.
2. Hepatitis C antibodies. A positive result means a person has or has had hepa-titis C. A further test (an RNA PCR test) is required to confirm a current infec-tion.
These tests are very sensitive, and results are available within 30 minutes. All that is required is the completion of a brief form and a finger-prick test (like a diabetes test). If your result is positive, we will refer you to a doctor for confirmatory testing.
Our team has undertaken extensive training and will ensure that your personal information always remains confidential. In fact, your personal information is only known to the team members doing the testing and is not required by the research team or other members of the ECCQ Love Health team.
Our team is available to do testing in multiple locations – if you would like a test, you can register using the QR code below and we will contact you to discuss a venue convenient to you. We will also provide testing at the:
• Sunnybank Hall (121 Lister Street Sunnybank) on Saturday 22nd November, from 9:00am to 2:00pm. Please book using the QR code below.
• Inala Market (outside the Inala Shopping Centre) on Saturday, 29 November, from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM. No appointment is required.
Knowing your status protects you and your family’s health.
#HepTestWeek
You can find more information including translated resources on hepatitis, HIV, and STIs at www.eccq.com.au/bbv.
If you are in Cairns, you can contact the team at Cairns Sexual Health Services by calling (07) 4226 4769 or emailing [email protected].
