By Tim Mastro

DOVER — The Delaware Division of Public Health announced May as Viral Hepatitis Awareness Month and May 19 as Hepatitis Testing Day.

There are several different viruses that can cause hepatitis, DPH said. The most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Both hepatitis A and hepatitis B are preventable with vaccines and while there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, it is curable with proper treatment. Hepatitis B and C are the leading causes of liver cancer in the United States.

DPH said the only way to know if you have a viral hepatitis is to get tested.

It is estimated that 2.4 million people in the United States are living with hepatitis C and between 880,000 and 1.89 million people are living with hepatitis B. Many are unaware that they are infected since symptoms usually are slow to present themselves. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests everyone should get tested for viral hepatitis at least once in their lives. Some of the risk factors for contracting viral hepatitis include but are not limited to:

• Individuals born between 1945 and 1965
• IV drug users
• Unstable housing
• Travel to an area with endemic hepatitis A virus without being immunized
• Unprotected sex with multiple partners
• Job that exposes you to human blood

“The Viral Hepatitis Program has been hard at work to build up the program’s outreach, prevention, and surveillance measures over the past year,” said DPH Treatment Program Administrator for the Viral Hepatitis and Vaccine Preventable Disease Programs Victoria Pyne, MA. 

“Viral hepatitis is preventable and DPH’s viral hepatitis team is making efforts to raise awareness of the issue and encourage people to get tested at least once, as well as getting vaccinated for hepatitis A and hepatitis B.  Without testing, undiagnosed and untreated cases can lead to significant health complications. During Viral Hepatitis Awareness Month, we encourage people to get tested, learn the risks, and help the prevent the spread of viral hepatitis.”

For more information, or to report a viral hepatitis case, call DPH’s Viral Hepatitis program at 302-744-4990.