Gov.
Janet Napolitano declared November as Hepatitis C Awareness
Month in an effort to shine a spotlight on what some call
a “silent epidemic,” according to a news release from the
Arizona Department of Health Services.
Foust
is one of an estimated 100,000 Arizonans who have the disease.
The hepatitis C virus is spread through direct blood‑to‑blood
contact and cannot be transmitted through hugging, kissing
or sharing eating utensils.
Hepatitis
C is the leading cause of liver transplants. There is no
vaccine.
Foust,
55, works part‑time as a nurse at Community Bridges
Drug and Alcohol Detoxification Center in Mesa.
She
doesn’t know how she contracted the disease, but suspects
it happened as a nurse’s aide 20 years ago. Prior to the
advent of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, practitioners
in the medical field were not required to wear latex gloves.
“It
could have been from a needle stick, or some other way.
I used to wonder about it, but after a while, I decided
that learning how to live with it is the important thing,
not worrying where I got it,” Foust said.
As
chairwoman of the Arizona Hepatitis C Coalition, Foust and
others work to educate the public and advocate for patients
who have the disease.
She
said people are afraid to get tested because of the stigma
associated with hepatitis C because drug use is the most
often reported means of contracting the disease.
“There’s
a lot of fear of finding you have it and about what might
happen,” Foust said.
Some
patients’ have said their families make them eat on paper
plates and with plastic forks, or even spray the telephone
after they use it.
There
are some known ways to prevent contracting hepatitis. If
somebody is bleeding, don’t come in contact with them without
wearing latex gloves or taking other protective measures.
Avoid sharing personal items that could have blood on them
such as nail clippers, tooth brushes, or razor blades.
A
lot of times there are no symptoms at the onset of the disease.
The
first symptoms are fatigue or flu‑like symptoms.
The
disease is treatable with shots and pills, which leave the
patient feeling like they have a bad case of the flu, Foust
said.
“The
biggest challenge for me was to rearrange my lifestyle so
I don’t overdo it,” she said. “It took me several years
to learn where my limits
are.”
For
more information about the disease and how to get tested,
or to make a donation or volunteer, contact the Arizona
Hepatitis C Coalition at www.hepcaz.net.
Reach
the reporter at kathleen@thedesertadvocate.com.
