Free testing for hepatitis B and C will be available at the National Reference Laboratory for Viral Hepatitis at the National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (NCIPD), the centre has announced.
Testing will take place from 27 to 31 July, between 09:00 and 12:00, at the NCIPD building, 44A Gen. N. Stoletov Boulevard, Sofia. No prior appointment or fasting is required. Test results will be available within three working days after the sample is taken.
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. The virus is most commonly transmitted through blood. An infected mother can pass the virus to her child during childbirth, in which case the risk of the child developing chronic hepatitis B infection is as high as 90%, the centre said. Infection can also occur through contact with blood or other bodily fluids during sexual contact with an infected partner or through sharing needles. Many people infected with hepatitis B show no specific symptoms and may not appear or feel ill.
Although there is no cure for hepatitis B, treatment can slow disease progression and reduce the risk of developing liver cancer. A safe and effective vaccine is available, providing 98% to 100% protection against hepatitis B. Preventing hepatitis B infection also prevents serious complications, including chronic liver disease and liver cancer.
The hepatitis C virus can also cause both acute and chronic hepatitis, ranging from a mild illness to a lifelong, serious liver disease. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus, and most infections occur through exposure to infected blood. Antiviral medicines can cure more than 95% of people infected with hepatitis C. While there is currently no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C infection, effective treatment is available. Most patients can be cured within eight to 12 weeks.
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