Thursday, May 10, 2012
EINDHOVEN – Approximately 30.000 people are walking around in this region with a bomb in their bodies: an infection with hepatitis B or C. Unnoticed, without any evidence, pain or discomfort.
But when the bomb goes off and the carrier notices that something is wrong in the body, it’s too late. Then the liver has already been damaged so badly that death is inevitable.And that is the great frustration of the liver doctors Sébastien Kindt and Peter Friederich, working at the Catharina Hospital. If they see patients with broken through hepatitis B or C they can do nothing anymore, while the infection can be treated well as long as it is detected early.Therefore they have now called for the help of general practitioners (GP) in the region. Statistics show that each GP practice counts for 230 potential carriers of the virus. A simple blood test can tell.The liver doctors have briefed the GPs and were promised full cooperation. The GPs will actively approach the risk groups now. The Catharina Hospital has recently been officially certified as a treatment centre for hepatitis. With this, the hospital is part of a nationwide network.The risk groups consist of (besides doctors and nurses) people from Asia, Africa and the Mediterranean area, travelers to these countries and drug users.Source: Eindhovens Dagblad
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