Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 25 Feb 1997

Vol. 475 No. 4

Written Answers. - Hepatitis C Infection.

Brian Cowen

Question:

111 Mr. Cowen asked the Minister for Health the number of people in the State with hepatitis C; the number of these infected through the Blood Transfusion Service Board; the way in which hepatitis C ranks as a public health problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5240/97]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): Hepatitis C is not specifically a notifiable disease under the 1981 Infectious Diseases Regulations, but is classed under the heading “Viral hepatitis — type unspecified”. There have been no population-based studies to show the prevalence of hepatitis C in the population as a whole.

In the period October 1995 to September 1996, 0.002 per cent of blood donors were confirmed hepatitis C positive. However, the donor pool consists of self-selected individuals with a below average risk for hepatitis C infection, and conclusions cannot, therefore, be drawn in relation to the rest of the population. Intravenous drug users are a particularly high risk group for hepatitis C infection.

In relation to the number of persons infected with hepatitis C through the administration in the State of blood and blood products, the following statistics are taken from figures supplied to my Department by the Blood Transfusion Service Board. These figures cover the period up to 3 January 1997.

The national blood screening programme commenced in February 1994 for recipients of human immunoglobulin — anti-D, their children and partners. Under this programme, 61,486 women were screened for hepatitis C. The number of women who have tested positive for hepatitis C antibodies is 974. Of these, 463 have tested positive for the hepatitis C virus. The number of children screened under this programme is 1,776. Twelve of these tested positive for hepatitis C antibodies, of which three are positive for the virus. The number of partners screened under the programme was 504, four of whom tested positive for hepatitis C antibodies. No partners tested positive for the virus.

The targeted lookback programme was commenced in October 1994 to identify persons who may have been infected with hepatitis C as a result of a transfusion, by tracing the past donations of donors identified with evidence of hepatitis C infection. Under this programme, 270 living recipients have been traced. Some 230 of these have been tested, of whom 128 are antibody positive. Of the 230 who were tested for hepatitis C antibodies, 207 were tested for the virus. Some 83 of these are positive for the virus.

The operational screening programme commenced in September 1995 to ensure that all recipients of blood transfusions and blood products who might possibly have become infected with hepatitis C through the receipt of transfusions or blood products were given the option of being tested free of charge. To date, 11,800 have been tested under this programme. Of these, 43 have tested antibody positive. Some 29 of these 43 persons have tested positive for the virus.

I have requested updated figures from the Blood Transfusion Service Board, and I will make these available to the Deputy as soon as they become available.

Testing for hepatitis C became available on 1 October 1991. Many haemophiliacs and kidney patients would have been screened before the national blood screening programme was introduced in February 1994. In this regard, my Department has been informed by the Irish Haemophilia Society that 210 haemophiliacs have been infected with hepatitis C. The Irish Kidney Association has indicated to the Department that 50 kidney patients have been infected with hepatitis C.