Wairarapa wars on hepatitis | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

Guitarist Keith Richards said he had it but beat it - a Wairarapa nurse said he couldn't have - while a local needle exchange just keeps trying to prevent it.

Today is World Hepatitis Day - a day to focus on people living with hepatitis B and C.

The day raises awareness of disease prevention and opens discussion on testing and treatment.

Needle exchange manager Brendon Olsen said hepatitis B and C was common among intravenous drug users but the exchange had helped lower infections.

"[Hepatitis B + C] is prevalent but it has dropped.

"The needle exchanges are certainly preventing that.

"By giving out the clean fits, and taking back their old ones, they are not re-using, they are not sharing,

"It's a blood-borne virus. If you share a needle with somebody else your chances are pretty high of contracting [hepatitis]."

The needle exchange opened in May 2008. It is open to the public six days a week and has an outdoor 24-hour vending machine.

The exchange gave out 4000 needles a month, Mr Olsen said.

An injecting kit, which would cost $4 at a chemist, costs $1.50 at the exchange. The kit costs $2 if there is no needle to exchange.

"The exchange rate gets them to bring it back to us, rather than throw it away in a bin or in a park, where somebody can stab themselves. They get a discount and they are taking responsibility for themselves. They get clean stuff and away they go.

"It's a confidential, anonymous service," he said.

"Some will say they've got [hepatitis] - some won't. A lot of them don't know themselves anyway,

"A lot of them don't want to get checked because they think they are shunned - you know, 'you're a junkie, you're no good' - that's not right."

Wairarapa District Health Board infection and control nurse Suzy Rogers said many people could be living with hepatitis unaware.

She did not think it was a stigma stopping people getting checked.

"It's probably because of the ignorance of what the diseases are," she said.

People wanting to be tested should see a local GP. Results took a few days, she said.

Rock guitarist Keith Richards said in a 2008 GQ magazine interview said that he had hepatitis C but cured himself by "just by being me". But Ms Rogers said there was no cure for hepatitis C.

"Hepatitis B can cure itself but, once you have hepatitis C, you've got it for life."

Hepatitis B is easier to contract but there was a vaccine for the virus. There was no vaccine for Hepatitis C, she said.

She thought the needle exchange was providing a great service for the community.

"Absolutely.

"Any safe practice that decreases the risk of transmission - you have to support that."

Doctors say immunisation against hepatitis B gives protection from the virus to 95 per cent of people who have the full course of three injections.

HEPATITIS BHepatitis B is spread through the blood and body fluids of an infected person.

It can be passed on through:

Cuts and scratches

Close contact with blood - and other fluids - from an infected person

Sharing toothbrushes, razors, towels and facecloths

Sharing skin-piercing and injecting needles

Sexual contact without condoms

HEPATITIS CHepatitis C is spread mainly through contact with the blood of an infected person.

It can be passed on through:

Injecting drugs or sharing injecting gear

Tattooing, ear piercing, body piercing - if not properly sterilised

Infection of cuts and scratches directly from an infected person's cuts and scratches - this is rare

Sexual intercourse - this is rare

SYMPTOMSIf you have a hepatitis illness the symptoms may be:

Nausea and vomiting

Yellow skin or eyes

Dark urine

Pale faeces

Feeling unwell

Lack of energy

Not feeling like eating

Stomach upsets and pains

Fever

General aches and pains

Needle exchange helps cut the risks

of more people getting infected