Dare County Public Health Division now offering hepatitis C screening, treatment

The Dare County Department of Health & Human Services (DCDHHS) is now providing both screening and treatment for hepatitis C, a liver disease that can often go undetected but if left untreated, can lead to serious liver problems such as advanced liver disease, liver cancer and death.

Patients can now make appointments directly with the public health division or get a referral from their primary care physicians.  The new service eliminates the need for patients to obtain treatment outside of the county.

“The health department is pleased to be able to provide this service right here in Dare County so that more residents can get screened and, if needed, treated without having to travel,” said DCDHHS Public Health Nursing Manager Debbie Dutton. “We encourage residents to take advantage of the screening by making an appointment today.”

More than two million adults in the United States have the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and many people with hepatitis C don’t look or feel sick so might not know they have the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hepatitis C is curable in more than 95 percent of cases and people who test positive for the virus should be treated to prevent liver damage and further spread.

Hepatitis C is spread when blood from an HCV-infected person – even microscopic amounts – enters the body of someone who is not infected. The CDC recommends hepatitis C testing for all adults, pregnant women and anyone who may have been recently exposed.

Residents can make an appointment to be screened for hepatitis C by calling the DCDHHS Manteo clinic at 252.475.5003 or the Frisco clinic at 252.475.9320. For patients referred by their healthcare provider, referral forms are available at DareNC.Gov/Providers. For more information on hepatitis C, please visit the CDC webpage: Hepatitis C Basics.