AT least 22,500 people in the North West are beleived to be living with chronic hepatitis C disease and the annual cost of treating them is £32m.
The Health Protection Agency's annual report reveals the figure is likely to underestimate the true numbers with the disease and the “prevalence of hepatitis C in the North West is high compared to other regions.”
The report says it is estimated that in Wirral there are 1,656 sufferers, which is relatively high compared to neighbouring districts.
People with the infection often have no symptoms and it is referred to as "the silent disease" - so estimating the true prevalence is difficult.
The review states hepatitis C is a "significant problem in the North West".
Health protection consultant Dr Evdokia Dardamissis, the North West’s leading hepatitis C clinician, said: “Hepatitis C remains a major public health problem and one that we are actively addressing in partnership with the NHS and drug services.
“We are working closely with our partners to improve surveillance and research and to increase public awareness, particularly amongst injecting drug users because they are at greatest risk in this region.
“If we can raise public awareness, the people who are most at risk can take measures to prevent themselves from becoming infected and those who are already infected can be brought into highly effective treatment programmes.”
The main risk factor is from injecting drugs, heroin in particular.
This is a significant factor as in 2009 the North West had the highest estimated number of heroin users across all regions with 9.8 per 1,000 population aged 15 to 24, compared to an England average of 7.6.
The estimated number of Hep C sufferers in St Helens is 1,082; Warrington 1,122; Knowsley, 817. Liverpool has the highest locally with 3,326.
Source: www.wirralglobe.co.uk
