World Hepatitis Day: Test, Check, Treat

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Tuesday 28 July 2015 is World Hepatitis Day with Hepatitis Australia calling for action on viral hepatitis for the almost half a million Australians who are living with hepatitis B or C. The World Health Organization is encouraging the global community to ‘Act Now’ to prevent hepatitis. According to WHO data, viral hepatitis causes 1.45 million deaths each year and two million people are infected with hepatitis B or C each year as a result of unsafe injecting practices.

At the Kirby Institute we conduct world-leading research into viral hepatitis through our Viral Hepatitis Clinical Research and Viral Hepatitis Epidemiology and Prevention programs. Our clinical research improves outcomes for people living with viral hepatitis and our work in epidemiology and prevention has facilitated successful interventions in vulnerable and at risk communities. You can read about some of our current research projects on our website:

·         Surveillance and Treatment of Prisoners with Hepatitis C (SToP-C)

·         Hepatitis C Vaccine Preparedness Studies (Hits-C)

·         InC3: The International Collaboration of Incident HIV and Hepatitis C in Injecting Cohorts Study

·         Hepatitis Acceptability and Vaccination Incentives Trial (HAVIT)

·         Defining risk and mechanisms of permucosal transmission for acute HCV infection within high-risk populations (RAMPT-C)

·         ITHACA: Investigating Transmission Dynamics of HCV Among injection drug users in Canada and Australia

·         The Healthy Liver Campaign

We also conduct the annual Australian Needle and Syringe Program Survey which recently launched its 20 year report.

The Kirby Institute supports the World Hepatitis Day initiatives of the WHO, Hepatitis Australia and Hepatitis NSW and encourages those at risk of hepatitis to test, check and treat for hepatitis. High risk groups include:

·         people who have ever injected drugs;

·         people who have been in prison;

·         people born in China/Hong Kong, Egypt, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Cambodia, Italy or other countries with high prevalence of viral hepatitis;

·         Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

You can read more about World Hepatitis Day on the Hepatitis Australia and Hepatitis NSW websites.