An infectious disease that affects the liver, Hepatitis C is killing thousands of people each year. A new report from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reports that the key to preventing death from Hep C may be in making people aware that they have it.

Many people don't even know they have Hep C. An estimated 3.5 million people have Hep C and the CDC estimates that half of these people are unaware that they even have it. Regular testing is normally not done as symptoms are mild until severe complications develop. A noted liver transplant surgeon states that "testing for hepatitis C should be as common as colonoscopies in order to stop patients from unknowingly spreading the disease."

Baby boomers are especially at risk as more than 50% of the Hep C deaths happen in people over age 55. 19,659 people died from Hep C in 2014. That's more deaths than the total of the other 60 CDC reported infectious diseases combined – including HIV and tuberculosis.

There is a cure for Hepatitis C and with proper treatment it is estimated that 90% of patients can be cured…..if they know they have it. Obviously, people won't get treatment for something they don't know they have. The key here is to get people tested so the healthcare team can start measures that would prevent the Hep C from progressing into liver cancer and other complications.

Mary Crawford, HealthCare Employment Network