THE potentially fatal liver disease hepatitis C is rising steadily in the East of England region, figures released today show.
Newly diagnosed infections in the region which includes st Albans rose by ten per cent to 680 in 2008, raising worries for the future.
Dr Torbjorn Sundkvist of the Health Protection Agency said: “ Our predictions indicate that the future burden of this disease on the health service will be substantial if awareness, diagnosis and treatment do not increase."
Hepatitis C, a viral infection causing swelling or inflammation of the liver is transmitted through blood, mainly by injecting drug use.
It often shows no symptoms in the early years but when end-stage liver disease is reached a transplant becomes the only option.
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