Baby Boomers Urged to Get Hepatitis C Blood Tests
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iStockphoto/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says that people of a certain age may be infected with the hepatitis C virus and not even know it.
Therefore, task force member Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo is recommending that everyone born between the years 1945 and 1965 undergo a simple blood test just for peace of mind’s sake.
Hepatitis C can result in liver damage and liver disease, sometimes to the point when an organ transplant is necessary. An estimated 3.9 million have hepatitis C in the U.S.
While feeling okay now, boomers might have contracted the disease without knowing it, which can remain dormant for years.
Bibbins-Domingo says a one-time screening can detect hepatitis C, which is treatable over the course of several months.
She adds that anyone who had a blood transfusion before 1992 and people who’ve used needles to inject drugs are also candidates for screening.
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