Mediaboss Marketing

Dr. Dave Hnida (credit: CBS)

Actually, its not a new blood test, but the recommendation that every baby boomer have it is new.

That blood test is a simple blood draw for Hepatitis C. And now, the CDC says everyone born between 1945 and 1965 have this test done at least once.

Hepatitis C is one of the liver disease alphabets youveprobably heard of, but dont quite know what it is.

Hep C is a viral infection of the liver that is the No. 1 cause of liver failure and liver transplants. Yet most people who have Hep C dont even know they carry the virus until its too late.

Thats because it can take decades for the virus to damage the liver, and most people feel pretty well as those years roll by.

But if you can diagnose Hep C before it destroys the liver, you can be treated with medication that we didnt have in the past that works pretty well at killing off the virus, or at least keeping it at bay.

We also have Hep C carriers avoid alcohol since it can beat up the liver at an accelerated rate when the virus is in the system.

Which brings us to the big question how do you get Hep C, and why the fuss over baby boomers?

We think people who used IV drugs in the 60s and 70s may have been infected with the virus, even though at the time we didnt even knowC existed.

Link:
The New Blood Test Every Baby Boomer Should Have