Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/197908/hepatitis-c-increase-dunedin
Hepatitis C on increase in Dunedin
By Rosie Manins on Thu, 16 Feb 2012
Cases of hepatitis C are on the increase in Dunedin, largely attributed to the rising popularity of backyard tattooing.
Hepatitis C Resource Centre Otago chairwoman Margaret Fraser said an estimated 1% or more of the city's population had the highly contagious blood-borne virus and many were ignorant of the fact.
Mrs Fraser said of the more than 50,000 New Zealanders believed to be infected with hepatitis C, only about 20,000 had been diagnosed.
"So there's about 30,000 people walking around infected with hepatitis C who don't even know it."
Mrs Fraser - a clinical nurse specialist who treats people with the virus at Dunedin Hospital - said there had been a noted increase in local hepatitis C cases.
The ease of obtaining tattoo equipment and the rising number of amateur unregulated tattooists may be to blame, she said...
Hepatitis C on increase in Dunedin
By Rosie Manins on Thu, 16 Feb 2012
Cases of hepatitis C are on the increase in Dunedin, largely attributed to the rising popularity of backyard tattooing.
Hepatitis C Resource Centre Otago chairwoman Margaret Fraser said an estimated 1% or more of the city's population had the highly contagious blood-borne virus and many were ignorant of the fact.
Mrs Fraser said of the more than 50,000 New Zealanders believed to be infected with hepatitis C, only about 20,000 had been diagnosed.
"So there's about 30,000 people walking around infected with hepatitis C who don't even know it."
Mrs Fraser - a clinical nurse specialist who treats people with the virus at Dunedin Hospital - said there had been a noted increase in local hepatitis C cases.
The ease of obtaining tattoo equipment and the rising number of amateur unregulated tattooists may be to blame, she said...