What celebrities have hepatitis C?
• Pamela Anderson: She is perhaps the best-known hepatitis C patient, if only because the former Baywatch star has such a flair for publicity. Her revelation last year that she had the disease prompted innumerable news stories. • Naomi Judd: The former nurse and country singer has been one of the best-known hep C celebrities.
What to expect when getting tested for hepatitis C?
The CDC recommend one-time screening for:
- anyone who has used injected drugs, especially if they shared any equipment
- people with certain health issues, such as those: with alanine aminotransferase levels outside the normal range who have had maintenance hemodialysis who have had organ transplants or blood transfusions
- children whose birth parent has hepatitis C
Can Hep C be cured completely?
Yes: Hepatitis c can be cured completely. Hepatitis b can be controlled, sometimes "cured" however it usually remains in your liver dna and can re-activate... Read More
How Hepatitis C is caught and passed on?
Less common causes
- Unprotected sex. Hepatitis C may be transmitted during sex without using a condom (unprotected sex), although this risk is considered very low.
- Blood donations before September 1991. ...
- Blood transfusions and treatment abroad. ...
- Sharing toothbrushes, scissors and razors. ...
- Tattooing and body piercing. ...
- Mother to child. ...
- Needlestick injury. ...
See more
What is the drug used to treat hepatitis C?
A drug called interferon is used to treat hepatitis C. A new form of interferon , called peg-interferon, works even better. When this form of interferon is combined with another drug called ribavirin, up to 50% to 60% of people can be cured.
How long does it take for hepatitis C to go away?
Treatment for hepatitis C can take the better part of a year. It's no walk in the park: the treatment usually makes people feel like they have a bad case of the flu. It can even make your hair fall out. These effects go away after treatment. Your doctor usually can tell after a few weeks whether the treatment is working.
How does hepatitis C spread?
Hepatitis C is spread by infected blood and infected needles, which is the virus' connection with tattooing. Tattoos involve lots of needles making lots of sticks in the skin. Each stick carries potential for contamination -- and not just with hepatitis, but also HIV, the virus that causes AIDS -- if the needles and the "tattoo machine" are not sterilized properly.
What happens if you get hepatitis C at a young age?
About 75% of people infected with hepatitis C will develop a long-term infection that attacks the liver, leading to cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer at an early age.
How many times more likely is a person to get hepatitis C from tattoos?
People with tattoos are nine times more likely to be infected with hepatitis C, according to a study by Robert Haley, MD, chief of epidemiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. His report appears in the March 2001 issue of the journal Medicine.
Can you get tested for HCV if you have a blood transfusion?
Getting a blood transfusion from someone with HCV infection. Before 1992, blood could not be tested for HCV. Since 1992, all blood donated in the U.S. gets tested for the virus. If you had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before June 1992, ask your doctor about being tested for HCV.
Can you get HCV from someone you live with?
It's possible to get HCV from someone you live with if you share items such as razors or toothbrushes that might have had his/her blood on them.
How much did Anderson's treatment cost?
Anderson said the treatment cost around $100,000 and was covered by her health insurance. Healthy once more, Anderson is back focusing on projects like her cooking show and vegan shoe line. But not everyone is so lucky.
How many people die from hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a chronic viral infection of the liver that affects an estimated 3.5 million Americans, and roughly 15,000 people die from it each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Anderson has lived with the virus for more than 15 years, but three months ago she learned that she had been cured ...
Does Upton's insurance cover Andre?
Upton’s office did not return ABC News’ request for further comment. As for Andre, her insurance company changed its mind after ABC News became involved, and now says it will cover Andre for her Hepatitis C medication.
Who caught hepatitis C from Tommy Lee?
Take a deep breath. Pamela Anderson is ready to disclose the details on how she caught hepatitis C from Tommy Lee.
Did Anderson say the information could have proved useful the day they shared a tattoo needle?
Alas, Anderson says, the information could have proved useful the day they shared a tattoo needle.
Japanese Actor And Oscar Nominee Ken Watanabe
The Japanese actor Ken Watanabe fought leukemia in 1989, and though he was successful in defeating the blood cancer, he contracted hepatitis C from a blood transfusion he received during that time.
Musician David Crosby Of Crosby Stills And Nash
In 1994, David Crosby, of folk-rock supergroup Crosby, Stills, and Nash, learned that he had hepatitis C. He was sober at that point, but his early years of IV drug use may have led to his hepatitis C infection.
Male Celebrities With Stds
Although the news of celebrities fighting with sexually transmitted diseases is less known yet we were still able to compile a short list for our readers:
How To Prevent Hepatitis C
Cured of hepatitis C, however, doesnt mean immune. Hepatitis C is not a one-and-done illness like, say, the chickenpox. If you engage in the same behaviors that led to your hepatitis C infection the first time, you are likely to find yourself back in the same predicament.
Soap Opera Actor Christopher Kennedy Lawford
Christopher Lawford, the son of President Kennedy’s sister Pat, is an actor who’s appeared on soap operas such as All My Children and General Hospital. He also authored a book, Symptoms of Withdrawal: A Memoir of Snapshots and Redemption, that detailed his recovery from addictions that most likely led to his hepatitis C infection.
Can It Really Be Cured
Yes, it’s now possible, but there are barriers. The FDA approved a pill that can cure hep C in December 2013, which has been considered a major medical breakthrough in recent years.
Aids And Other Activism
In March 2005, Anderson became a spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics ‘s MAC AIDS Fund, which helped people affected by AIDS and HIV. After becoming the official spokesmodel, Anderson raised money during events in Toronto, Tokyo, Dublin, and Athens.