Hepatitis

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is an infection that is usually acquired during childhood from your mother or siblings and persists in the liver for life. Occasionally it is picked up as an adult. Progression to liver damage is approximately 20% in 5 years. If your liver is damaged then your 5 year risk of liver cancer is 6 to 15%. Hepatitis B kills millions of people per year. There is effective treatment and vaccination now available. If you are concerned about hepatitis B please contact us for an appointment.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a chronic infection picked up from exposure to infected body fluids. If you have hepatitis C then there is a 30% chance that you will get a damaged liver from it. Once your liver is damaged there is 3% chance per year that you develop liver cancer. Hepatitis C is now the main reason for liver transplant in New Zealand. Progression of your disease can be prevented by treatment. If you are concerned about Hepatitis C then please contact us for an appointment.