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HEPATITIS C (ALSO CALLED NON-A, NON-B OR HCV)
E. Priestley November 1997. Updated April 1998. February,2000. November 2000. Oct.2004 My involvement with the Hepatitis C came about in late 1986 when I was infected with the virus through a blood transfusion given for the severe aplastic anaemia I was diagnosed as suffering from in April 1986. Aplastic anaemia, in the vast majority of cases, is caused by destruction of the bone marrow due to exposure to drugs, chemicals or ionising radiation and manifests as greatly reduced production of all blood cells to a degree that some transfusions (probably not as many as are usually given) are necessary for survival. I was not the only patient I observed suffering from aplastic anaemia who contracted Hepatitis C through a blood transfusion but I know of no others who have survived. The information given here is my own research, investigations and observations and my own attempts to combat and treat the condition by looking at medical papers, textbooks, etc. and observing through news media reports the devastating effects it was having on others. A copy of a hospital letter I have from Hammersmith Hospital, London to my local hospital consultant at Halifax dated 28th October, 1986 sums up my medical condition and status after a visit to Hammersmith as an out-patient on 22nd October 1986. In addition to the severe aplastic anaemia I was suffering from the letter also notes that "the liver was palpable and tender and the condition was probably related to the recent bout of transfusion related non A non B hepatitis". About the same time a letter I have a copy of from Hammersmith to my dentist notes that my transfusion contracted hepatitis was causing serious deterioration of my aplastic anaemia. Although it is now stated by governments that Hepatitis C was not identified until 1989 both my wife, a State Registered Nurse, and myself discussed it as Hepatitis C with hospital staff at both Hammersmith and Halifax in 1986. In fact it was a hospital member of staff that told us it was identified as Hepatitis C. Some hospital staff were a little reluctant to discuss the condition as Hepatitis C, calling it non A non B Hepatitis, but many did, making it quite clear to us that the condition had been definitely identified and was called Hepatitis C. My Medical Dictionary (Mosby's 1994) says of Hepatitis C that it is largely transmitted by blood transfusions, through sexual contact or through drug users sharing needles. Identification is made through antibodies to the Hepatitis C virus. It was important to me, for my care and survival, to know I had a viral hepatitis as the drugs and chemicals causing aplastic anaemia can have an effect on the liver in the form of a toxic overload causing jaundice which could without further investigation be mistaken for a viral hepatitis. The first medical paper I have on non A non B hepatitis was sent to me by a family member of another aplastic anaemia victim who had died from this condition and who also had Hepatitis C. The paper is dated 10th November, 1984 is from The Lancet Medical Journal. Although the journal does not name the virus Hepatitis C it notes that enough was known at that time about the virus to identify many cases and stop about 29% of infected blood getting to patients with a loss of only about 1.6% in blood donations. The same medical paper also notes the long-term effects of acute liver damage developing from the virus. Even so there was no action or announcement from governments about what was known and long-term dangers until 5 years later in 1989 and large numbers receiving blood transfusions were infected with serious and in many cases fatal consequences No doubt between 1984 when this paper was written and when I was infected 2 years later further research would have taken place making identification easier and the condition was definitely called Hepatitis C by many in the medical profession in 1986. Obtaining accurate information on the numbers infected and at risk of developing fatal cirrhosis or liver cancer due to the virus in the long-term is not easy. Information from the "Association Pour La Recherche Sur Le Cancer" here in France quotes between a half and two million of the population may be infected, and perhaps in about 50% of those infected the infection will develop into a chronic one which may precipitate a fatal liver condition. Estimates given for France are in the region of 200,000 developing cirrhosis and 30,000 developing cancer of the liver from the chronic infection. Whatever the statistical numbers involved there are at least 5 times as many infected with Hepatitis C in France as there are with the HIV virus and for the same reasons. The figures for the U.K. are probably similar. The first record I have of the Hepatitis C story (or more accurately scandal) hitting the news was from a Guardian headline article on 24th August, 1989 which stated that the virus had just been identified (quite untrue as you can see from the previous information). It stated that the cost of screening out the virus would be about £2 per pint of blood added to the overall cost at that time of about £25 per pint. The article estimated that about 6,000 would have been infected through blood transfusions in 1989 alone. Following The Guardian report above there have been articles too numerous to count in many newspapers on the devastating effects on peoples lives, including the rich and famous, infected with Hepatitis C. There have been many articles causing panic amongst those infected E.G. whether mothers infected would give birth to babies carrying the infection and many reports on claims for compensation for victims. All these reports no doubt sold newspapers but sadly there was little or no help offered for victims in the way of care or how best to reduce the effects of the infection and prevent the condition changing to a fatal liver disease. Looking at drug treatment offered by the medical profession it seems at least as likely to make the condition worse so I had no hesitation in dismissing drug treatment as the drugs given are both very toxic to the liver and of course very, very expensive and profitable. In any case the drug alpha interpheron prescribed for hepatitis C is documented to cause bone marrow depression is unsuitable for anyone with aplastic anaemia The delay of three years or so from the time the virus was identified in 1984-86 to the time the governments admitted identifying it in 1989 excludes the vast majority of its victims from being able to claim compensation. It must have become apparent to the governments during this period, with ever-increasing numbers infected, that the problem could not be ignored indefinitely and would have to be faced up to sooner or later. Here the face saving and damage limitation untrue announcement that the virus had not been identified until 1989 has saved the governments some embarrassment after the fiasco following the HIV infection of haemophiliacs and others through blood products. Research into the causes of the aplastic anaemia I suffer from also, fortunately for me, brought to light the substances toxic to the liver and to be avoided if at all possible by Hepatitis C sufferers and which will stop the virus changing to a fatal liver disease in the majority if not all cases are the same agents toxic to the bone marrow. Hepatitis C does not change to a fatal liver disease unless there is exposure to another agent that is toxic to the liver that can cause cancer. These products are metabolised by and toxic to the liver and the bone marrow and can be briefly summarised as follows: Alcohol Avoid. Toxic chemicals Avoid solvents, paints particularly oil based, varnishes adhesives, pesticides, herbicides, cleaning products containing phenols, dry cleaning fumes Many of these and other toxic products contain benzene or benzene related products that are highly toxic to the liver. If a product carries any health warning, avoid it if possible. Prescribed drugs. Avoid all prescribed drugs if at all possible as they are all toxic to the liver and many contain benzene within their molecular structure. The World Health Authority notes than benzene is a carcinogen with no known safe level. The Cancer Research Association in France now gives warnings to Hepatitis C sufferers to avoid alcohol and prescribed drugs but not on the chemicals toxic to the liver. Keep to a low fat diet. Water and other drinks. Avoid tap water, particularly if it is fluoridated as this is toxic to the liver. Fluoridated water has been observed to cause a crisis in the chronic liver disorder Gilbert's Disease which disappears on a change to bottled water and returns if the sufferer drinks the fluoridated tap water again. Soft drinks like Coca Cola contain fluoride but do not always state this on the can or bottle. The restaurants at Westminster supply M.P’s with taxpayer subsidised bottled spring water as well as organic food, some food additives can be toxic to the liver. Following the above diet and avoiding many of the things listed above as toxic to the liver as much as I can, without too much disruption of normal life, my liver function has slowly improved since I was infected in 1986. I still, sometimes, have a liver malfunction showing up in a laboratory blood test and the odd spell when I feel sickly but these have decreased both in duration and severity. I have had the additional, more urgent and serious problem of aplastic anaemia to sort out which may well have delayed the recovery of my liver as the hepatitis C has also delayed my recovery from aplastic anaemia. It is unfortunate that so many of those infected with Hepatitis C, through no fault of their own, live in terror of it developing into a fatal liver disease. It is also and unfortunate fact, for economic reasons, these victims are not given the information the medical profession have that they need to nurse the liver back to full health and prevent the virus changing into a fatal liver disease due to exposure to chemicals and drugs etc. toxic to the liver. My contacts with HCV support groups indicates that, like medical charites and other support groups E.G. Aids, they are controlled by the medical profession who will definitely not help the victims survive if it means warning of the dangers of drugs and chemicals manufactured by their friends in the pharmaceutical industry. In late 2004 after years of campaigning I was paid the derisory amount of £20,000 by the U.K Dept. of Health for contaminating me with hepatitis C through a blood transfusion. If I had not had copies of my hospital notes to prove I contracted the virus through a transfusion and not through other ways I would not have been paid at all. I had, as it happens, been in hospital many months continuously with several hospital induced potentially fatal infections, pneumonis, septicaemia etc, which have left me disabled (another story) otherwise I could not have proved I caught the virus through a transfusion.
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