Watch out for those ‘piercing’ guns! They could spread Hepatitis C
Bengaluru: Hepatitis C is approximately seven times more infectious than HIV. Sadly, this most chronic blood-borne disease, which is generally detected very late by patients due to lack of awareness and lack of routine health check-ups, can be transmitted through tattoos and body piercings.
"Youngsters and their parents fail to consider that there is a high risk factor for contracting Hepatitis C through tattoos and ‘piercing’ guns because of lack of education and awareness," says Dr Parvesh Kumar Jain, HOD, Dept of Medical Gastroenterology, Victoria Hospital, which has witnessed cases where youngsters who develop jaundice come there and are diagnosed with Hepatitis C.
"I have had three patients who were in their twenties who had developed jaundice. Luckily those were acute cases detected early and hence treated as Hepatitis C. But generally Hepatitis C is asymptomatic in the early stages and does not get diagnosed early," informs Dr Parvesh.
Dr Parvesh has witnessed fifty cases of treatable Hepatitis C and some hundred cases yearly. Decompensated cirrhosis is defined by the development of jaundice, ascites, variceal hemorrhage, or hepatic encephalopathy. Survival is poor in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and they should be considered for liver transplants.
"It is transmitted by fluid, either blood or semen or high risk contact. Also, sharing needles can cause the virus to spread. Predominantly it spreads among the IV drug users who take drugs in small groups, but, yes, the increasing popularity of body piercing and tattoos have raised the risk of hepatitis C," informs Dr Praveen Mathew, Associate Professor, Medical Gastroenterology, Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre.
"This disco culture where youngsters are going to pubs, bars in groups, taking drugs, using the same needle and getting body piercings and tattoos done where often the same needles are used, is a deadly risk factor in the spread of Hepatitis C," warns Dr Parvesh.
Preventive measures
Interruption of transmission of viral hepatitis can be achieved by education and increasing the awareness of the public and medical personnel; improved sanitation and safe drinking water (for HAV/HEV prevention), and emphasizing the importance of safe blood and injections.
