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Date: Immediate Release
World AIDS Day 1997

More people will die from Hepatitis B & C than AIDS

According to Helen Knox, Clinical Nurse Specialist and author of SEXplained.... The Uncensored Guide to Sexual Health, we should not concentrate solely on HIV/AIDS because that means we ignore other sexually transmitted diseases. These can inflict serious, permanent and even fatal damage, to those to whom they are transmitted. For example, a staggering 82% of the world total of liver cancer is caused by Hepatitis B and C for which there is no cure.

HIV, which was barely known 15 years ago, is now estimated to have infected 20 million adults - a figure which is expected to rise to 40 million within the next five years. The 1996 World Health Organization report found that Hepatitis B has infected 2 billion people, of whom 350 million are chronically infected. The likelihood is that they will die from liver disease. Some 100 million people are chronically and incurably infected with Hepatitis C and are similarly at risk.

Compared with HIV/AIDS, which is fragile and difficult to transmit, Hepatitis B remains active in dried blood for over two weeks; for Hepatitis C it can remain active for an unknown length of time.

Today, promoting protection against HIV/AIDS is universal and, indirectly, this will automatically prevent people catching other serious sexually transmitted diseases. However the message to 'use a condom' does not go far enough. Employing full universal precautions during sex should be just as important as in the operating theatre when coming into contact with the blood or body fluid of another person.

Currently, few specialists are aware that Hepatitis B and C strains can be transmitted sexually and are potentially equally deadly to hetero and homosexuals alike.

Hepatitis - inflammation of the liver - is associated with viral causes which are infectious. At present there are Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, F and G. The most damaging are B, C and D. Once transmitted the infected person may not have any signs or symptoms.

If symptoms do occur they may appear between four weeks and six months after infection. There may be a 'flu-like illness, fatigue and general malaise (as with M.E.), jaundice with yellowing of the eyes and skin, pale stools, dark urine, night sweats, loss of appetite, abdominal tenderness and pain. Some people remain highly infectious for life whilst others become non-infectious. Only blood tests can tell the level of infection. Eventually the infection may lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer and death. Some 80% of intravenous drug abusers in the UK are said to be Hepatitis C positive, for which there is no vaccine, and no immediate prospect of one. While there is a vaccine against Hepatitis B, it is not as widely used as it could be. Hepatitis D requires Hepatitis B to develop, therefore vaccination against B also protects against D.

We are told that HIV isn't transmitted by oral sex. However, without protection, Hepatitis B and C can be transmitted. The virus is transmitted in infected blood and sexually. This means that along with shared drug injecting equipment, cuts and sores, broken skin and mouth ulcers are areas through which the virus can enter the body.

Safer sex is activity dependent not 'risk group' dependent.

The rules of safer sex and better protection are re-written in SEXplained.... The Uncensored Guide to Sexual Health.

It is available by mail order from Knox Publishing, PO Box 6969, Chiswick, London, W4 3WX, or to order from all good bookshops. Price £9:99 plus £1:50 p&p.

About the Author:

Helen trained as a Registered General Nurse at the Westminster Hospital, London. She worked as a Senior Staff Nurse at St Thomas’ Hospital, London and as a District Nursing Sister in West London before specialising in the field of Contraception and Sexual Health for the last 10 years. She has gained considerable teaching experience to both the lay public and fellow professionals on the subject. When awarding her a place in the finals, the judges of the 1994 Nursing Times/3M National Nursing Awards described Helen’s work in expanding the outreach work relating to Sexual Health and Family Planning advice as “Quite exceptional”.

She has made many broadcast appearances including:
Television X - Sextalk with Michael van Straten, Fantasy Channel; Carlton TV - The Good Sex Guide Late; Live TV - The Sex Show; UK Living - Live at 3; BBC Radio, Viva radio and LBC’s Bodytalk radio show with Michael van Straten. ……...ENDS

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Date: Immediate Release World AIDS Day 1997 More people will die from Hepatitis B & C than AIDS According to Helen Knox, Clinical Nurse Specialist and author of SEXplained.... The Uncensored Guide to Sexual Health, we should not concentrate solely on HIV/AIDS because that means we ignore other sexually transmitted diseases. These can inflict serious, permanent and even fatal damage, to those to whom they are transmitted. For example, a staggering 82% of the world total of liver cancer is caused by Hepatitis B and C for which there is no cure. HIV, which was barely known 15 years ago, is now estimated to have infected 20 million adults - a figure which is expected to rise to 40 million within the next five years. The 1996 World Health Organization report found that Hepatitis B has infected 2 billion people, of whom 350 million are chronically infected. The likelihood is that they will die from liver disease. Some 100 million people are chronically and incurably infected with Hepatitis C and are similarly at risk. Compared with HIV/AIDS, which is fragile and difficult to transmit, Hepatitis B remains active in dried blood for over two weeks; for Hepatitis C it can remain active for an unknown length of time. Today, promoting protection against HIV/AIDS is universal and, indirectly, this will automatically prevent people catching other serious sexually transmitted diseases. However the message to 'use a condom' does not go far enough. Employing full universal precautions during sex should be just as important as in the operating theatre when coming into contact with the blood or body fluid of another person. Currently, few specialists are aware that Hepatitis B and C strains can be transmitted sexually and are potentially equally deadly to hetero and homosexuals alike. Hepatitis - inflammation of the liver - is associated with viral causes which are infectious. At present there are Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, F and G. The most damaging are B, C and D. Once transmitted the infected person may not have any signs or symptoms. If symptoms do occur they may appear between four weeks and six months after infection. There may be a 'flu-like illness, fatigue and general malaise (as with M.E.), jaundice with yellowing of the eyes and skin, pale stools, dark urine, night sweats, loss of appetite, abdominal tenderness and pain. Some people remain highly infectious for life whilst others become non-infectious. Only blood tests can tell the level of infection. Eventually the infection may lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer and death. Some 80% of intravenous drug abusers in the UK are said to be Hepatitis C positive, for which there is no vaccine, and no immediate prospect of one. While there is a vaccine against Hepatitis B, it is not as widely used as it could be. Hepatitis D requires Hepatitis B to develop, therefore vaccination against B also protects against D. We are told that HIV isn't transmitted by oral sex. However, without protection, Hepatitis B and C can be transmitted. The virus is transmitted in infected blood and sexually. This means that along with shared drug injecting equipment, cuts and sores, broken skin and mouth ulcers are areas through which the virus can enter the body. Safer sex is activity dependent not 'risk group' dependent. The rules of safer sex and better protection are re-written in SEXplained.... The Uncensored Guide to Sexual Health. It is available by mail order from Knox Publishing, PO Box 6969, Chiswick, London, W4 3WX, or to order from all good bookshops. Price £9:99 plus £1:50 p&p. About the Author: Helen trained as a Registered General Nurse at the Westminster Hospital, London. She worked as a Senior Staff Nurse at St Thomas’ Hospital, London and as a District Nursing Sister in West London before specialising in the field of Contraception and Sexual Health for the last 10 years. She has gained considerable teaching experience to both the lay public and fellow professionals on the subject. When awarding her a place in the finals, the judges of the 1994 Nursing Times/3M National Nursing Awards described Helen’s work in expanding the outreach work relating to Sexual Health and Family Planning advice as “Quite exceptional”. She has made many broadcast appearances including: Television X - Sextalk with Michael van Straten, Fantasy Channel; Carlton TV - The Good Sex Guide Late; Live TV - The Sex Show; UK Living - Live at 3; BBC Radio, Viva radio and LBC’s Bodytalk radio show with Michael van Straten. ……...ENDS