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Viral Hepatitis Service
The Service
A team of experienced nurses have since 1998, been treating patients with hepatitis C and B(those referred for interferon only). The service is one of the largest treatment centres in the UK, treating up to 200 patients a year, with the latest NICE approved treatments.
The team of nurse specialists are a dedicated team providing expert care before,during and after treatment, to those referred to the service. The team are committed to provide the best practice to optimise treatment outcomes for patients with the support of the consultant hepatologists.
Referral to the service is through the hepatology clinic at ST. James's University hospital. Referral guidelines can be found on the Leeds Health Pathways on the Leeds Trust's web site under professional resources.
To read about a patient's experience while on treatment for hepatitis C, please click here
Click here for information about liver biopsy
Our contact telephone numbers are 0113 2065949, 0113 2066788, or 0113 2064675
Fax number: 0113 2067379 please mark fax for the Attention of the Viral Hepatitis Nurses
Useful web sites
www.nhs.uk/hepc
www.nhs.uk/conditions
www.hepctrust.org.uk
Hepatitis C (HCV) is a virus that can cause liver disease. Generally the virus is transmitted by blood-to-blood contact and before the introduction of screening donated blood in 1991, it was also spread through blood transfusions. HCV can be acquired by people who inject drugs through the sharing of needles and other injecting paraphernalia (gear) and there is a small risk of infection associated with tattooing, electrolysis, body piercing, acupuncture and sexual intercourse. There is a transmission rate of about 6% at birth from mother to child if the mother is a HCV carrier (NICE 2004).
Prevalence in the UK population is estimated at 0.4% to 1% (DOH 2004). Current treatment is with NICE approved pegylated interferon and ribavirin. The length and success of treatment is dependent upon many factors such as strain of the virus, viral load,age and damage to the liver.
Hepatitis B (HBV) is a virus that can cause liver disease and is present in bodily fluids such as blood, saliva, semen and vaginal fluid. Prevalence in the UK is estimated at 0.3% (HPA 2009), but in other parts of the world it is much higher. In the UK, Europe and North America, HBV is mainly passed from person to person by having unprotected sex. In other parts of the world, the most common way of getting infected is from mothers to their baby during birth, or from child to child bodily fluid contact (British Liver Trust 2003).
Useful web sites
www.hepatitisinfo.co.uk
www.hepatitisinfo.org
Other Useful Contacts
The Hepatitis C Trust
27 Crosby Row,
London, SE1 3YD
tel 020 7089 6220
help line 0845 223 442
Support groups
Leeds
NFA Team Archway
01132954840
Leeds
Multiple Choice
0113 2001180
Friends Meeting House,
Friargate,York
07917374725
Halifax/Huddersfield
01274 669593
Dewsbury
Lifeline (meets alternate fridays)
Wellington Street
01924 438383