Big Day Out for Hepatitis WA volunteers this Sunday

[Guest guest]

http://www.inmycommunity.com.au/news-and-views/local-news/Big-Day-Out-for-Hepati\

tis-WA-volunteers-this-Sunday/7582666/

Big Day Out for Hepatitis WA volunteers this Sunday

04/Feb/2011

HEPATITIS WA volunteers will be out in force at this weekend’s Big Day Out at

Claremont Showground to educate young people about the risks of blood to blood

contact and transmission of viral hepatitis.

The non-profit group will be talking to festival-goers about blood awareness and

safety in a bid to reduce the number of infections and dispel myths about the

‘silent epidemic’.

People living with viral hepatitis may appear healthy but the virus could be

damaging their liver.

Hepatitis B is transmitted by unsafe sex and blood-to-blood contact, and is

treatable, while preventable vaccines are available for hepatitis A and B.

Marketing and education officer Riana Young said her friend was diagnosed with

hepatitis B after getting a tattoo at a friend’s house.

“It’s just too easy for one person’s blood, and any viruses in that blood, to

get into another person’s bloodstream when an unqualified person is giving the

tattoo or piercing, and not sterilising equipment appropriately,” Ms Young said.

“Fortunately in this case, the virus was cleared naturally within six months.”