An estimated 230,000 Australians have chronic hepatitis C, and a quarter of cases are undiagnosed. Hepatitis C inflames the liver and unlike the A and B viruses there is no vaccine available. Pathology is important for diagnosing the virus.

Many people with hepatitis C may not experience symptoms, but left untreated the disease can cause cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), which in a small number of cases can lead to liver cancer.

Where liver damage has occurred, pathology can assess a patient’s health and if necessary, match a donor liver for a transplant. In Australia 40% of liver transplants are performed because of complications related to hepatitis C.

The most common way a person becomes infected with hepatitis C in Australia is through unsafe injected drug use, but there are other ways someone may contract the virus including: unsterile tattooing or body piercing; unsterile medical procedures or vaccinations; receiving a blood transfusion or blood products before 1990, or being born to a mother who has hepatitis C – there is a 2-5% risk of transmission to the baby where a mother has the disease.

The Australian federal government has targeted Hepatitis C for eradication and in March 2016 several new drug treatments were added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) meaning patients can access drugs at an affordable price.

A/Prof Simone Strasser from the Gastroenterological Society of Australia specialises in liver conditions, and is involved in the first treatment program which she says is proving wildly popular:

“We initially thought we’d treat 10,000 people in the first year, but in the first 2 months alone we treated 15,000 people.

The new drugs target several components of the virus making them more effective and minimising drug resistance. These drugs are about 90-95% effective and because access to them is so broad now it is possible that we could eradicate hepatitis C in Australia within the next 15 years.”

A/Prof Strasser says that early diagnosis is key to winning the battle against hepatitis C.

“Symptoms can take months or years to appear so I urge anyone who thinks they may be at risk, even due to an event in the past, to talk to their doctor about getting tested.

Diagnosis means treatment can begin quickly, limiting liver damage. Even if significant liver damage has occurred, treatment can lead to significant improvement, preventing long term complications such as liver failure or liver cancer. Successful treatment also means that people can’t spread the disease to others.”

The post From 230,000 patients to extinct in 15 years: pathology key to defeating hepatitis C first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.

Last week he returned to the pathology laboratory that monitored his health during his journey to the brink of poor health from hidden sugars. Adam Bandt, Federal Member for Melbourne, joined Damon on the tour.

So how do you celebrate winning an Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award in the same week as receiving word that your film is the highest grossing Australian documentary of all time? Well, go for a blood test, of course.

Damon was reunited with his regular collector, Sharon, to have his blood drawn in order to discover if his health has returned to normal since he went back to a low sugar diet. Over the course of the next hour, Damon and Adam witnessed the journey from vein to result, and the vast array of laboratory investigation that happens in between.

Pathology Awareness Australia Ambassador Dr Ian Clark led the tour showcasing departments including microbiology, cytogenetics and haematology.

The lab is one of the busiest in Victoria and is responsible for producing 16,000 test results a day. Adam and Damon watched state-of-the-art technology and met the highly skilled people working 24/7 behind the scenes to produce life-changing results. They even examined slides comparing a healthy liver to a ‘fatty liver’ so they could see the effect Damon’s experiment had on his body – Damon developed a fatty liver after just 18 days of eating a high sugar diet.

Adam Bandt was clearly impressed:

“I am proud that Melbourne is home to world-leading medical facilities. It is a privilege to meet the people involved and see their work first-hand.”

Damon breathed a sigh of relief when he received his blood test results at the end of the tour – less than an hour after blood collection. Thanks to the help of the lab he went home knowing his health was better than ever.

The post Adam Bandt MP and award-winning actor witness pathology up close first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.

Robert Harrod, a retired shift worker, is grateful for the role pathology has played in improving his quality of life.

In 2012 Robert was feeling unusually tired with no reason – “I could have fallen asleep at the drop of a hat.” After several weeks of this he visited his GP.

Initially his doctor attributed Robert’s low energy to long night shifts. Robert was working between 60 and 72 hours a week at the time. Nonetheless the GP agreed to refer Robert for some blood tests to be sure.

Robert got a call the same day asking him to come back to the doctor where he was told the results of his blood test indicated his liver wasn’t functioning properly. To find the cause, Robert needed an invasive liver biopsy, where a small sample of his liver was given to the pathology team.

The results revealed autoimmune hepatitis – a chronic disease whereby the body’s immune system attacks the liver. Untreated it can lead to cirrhosis and complete liver failure.

Robert’s condition has fortunately been kept under control by daily steroid tablets. He also has blood tests every three to six months to ensure the medication is working effectively.

Once the initial side effects of the steroids subsided Robert noticed an immediate improvement to his energy levels. He’s eternally thankful that he took that initial trip to the doctor;

“Without that pathology test I would have just put my symptoms down to getting older and working too much. Thankfully I got quick treatment and I’m feeling good. I don’t know how I’d be doing now if I hadn’t sought out answers.”

The post How a blood test ‘just to be safe’ changed Robert’s life for the better first appeared on Know Pathology Know Healthcare.