World Hepatitis Awareness Day Background Information

WHAD
Backgrounder
English pdf
WHAD
October 1st
Speech pdf
WHAD
Presentation pps
(4Mb )
HCV in selected
countries of
Europe Report pdf
Press Release
Available from October 1st
Fast Facts
- 350 - 400 million people worldwide are thought to be living with hepatitis B
- Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than HIV
- There are effective vaccines against hepatitis A and hepatitis B
- One in five people around the world have been exposed to something that puts them at risk from hepatitis C
- The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 180 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C
- While there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, there are effective treatments available
- Some people can even be cured of the disease
- There is a simple blood test that can check for hepatitis C
- Hepatitis C virus is carried in the blood of an infected person and is spread through blood to blood contact
- People who have injected drugs (even once years ago), had a blood transfusion before the early 1990s (when screening was established), shared cocaine straws, had a tattoo or body piercing, been exposed to blood in a work context or even borrowed a friends razor or toothbrush may be at risk of hepatitis C.
Background Material
Hepatitis B & C

Hepatitis B
English pdf
Hepatitis C
English pdf
Hepatitis B
Spanish pdf
Hepatitis C
Spanish pdf
Hepatitis B
French pdf
Hepatitis C
French pdf
Hepatitis B
German pdf
Hepatitis C
German pdf
European Report Card
Biographies
Anita Roddick
Christopher Kennedy Lawford
Dr Jean-Michel Pawlotsky
Sir Bob Geldof
EU Support
In recognition of their endorsement of WHAD 2006, please see below for a letter of support from the European Health Commissioner and an MEP Call to Action.
For media queries please contact mseymour@axon-com.com