'I was living with hepatitis C without knowing for 20 years – get checked if you think you're at risk'

17 September 2024

When Andrew Eadie got a tattoo on his right arm around 20 years ago, little did he know the damage it would cause him later in life.

Following a trip to his GP for a suspected chest infection in April 2022, he was told to visit the University Hospital of Wales when the doctor became more concerned with the significant swelling on his stomach.

Blood tests later confirmed that Andrew had been living with cirrhosis of the liver caused by hepatitis C, a virus spread through blood-to-blood contact.

“It was just a gut-wrenching shock,” said his wife, Julie Eadie. “I’d heard of hepatitis C before, but I didn’t know much about it, how it affects people or how people get it in the first place.

“After discussions with the consultants, we realised that the only way he could have got it is through infected blood from tattoo guns which he’d used some 20-odd years ago. The virus was just hiding, waiting to pop its head up.”

Hepatitis C is often known as a “silent killer” as many people don’t realise they have it until they are diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease or even liver cancer.

In Andrew’s case, the virus could easily have killed him - but thanks to a strict medication regime he was clear of the infection within a matter of weeks.

Julie, who lives in Barry and works in the prison service, added: “I cannot fault the NHS. The consultants were straight on him and gave him a huge basket of medication to take over 12 weeks. At week eight they noticed his hepatitis C had disappeared which is quite incredible.

“The virus could have been passed onto me too, which was a scary thought, but thankfully I tested negative.”

Andrew, who worked as a tree surgeon before becoming unwell, has urged others who fear they might be in a similar position to get tested for hepatitis C.

“Get checked just to be on the safe side,” he said. “There could be many people living with hepatitis C who don’t know they have it.”

Wales has an estimated 8,000 people living with hepatitis C. Many people with the virus don't have any symptoms until their liver becomes increasingly damaged.

Symptoms, while often vague, can include:

Flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches and a high temperature (fever)
Feeling tired all the time
Loss of appetite
Abdominal (stomach) pain
Feeling and being sick.

While tattooing and body piercing using unsterilised needles are known to spread hepatitis C, the main way is through sharing drug-using equipment. In rare cases, it can also be passed on through sexual contact or from mother to baby before or during birth.

People at highest risk of acquiring hepatitis C include:

Those who received blood transfusions or blood products before 1996
Mother to baby transmission, although the risk is low
Those born in countries of high prevalence such as South East Asia, China, sub-Saharan Africa and the Amazon Basin Eastern and Southern Europe, the Middle East, or those who travelled and received dental or medical treatment in these areas
Those who have injected or used illicit drugs and shared ‘works’ such as needles, spoons, notes, straws and pans
Those who had unprotected sexual intercourse. People at a higher risk include men who have sex with men (MSM), depending on sexual practices and the use of ‘party-drugs’
Those who have had tattoos or piercings in unlicensed parlours
Those who inject image-enhancing drugs such as steroids
Those presenting with abnormal liver function tests (LFTs) in their blood
Those who have undergone cosmetic procedures such as botox, fillers, microblading performed by unlicensed practitioners or practitioners who use unsterile equipment.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is working with the Welsh Government and other partners to try and eliminate hepatitis C as a public threat by 2030. New medications are said to have revolutionised the treatment of hepatitis C so that it is now curable in over 98% of people.

Delyth Tomkinson, clinical nurse specialist in blood-borne viruses with Cardiff and Vale UHB, said: “Anybody can get hepatitis C, but one of the biggest challenges we face is making people aware of the risk factors. The testing and treatment for hepatitis C are easy - and most importantly it’s curable.”

The only way to know for certain if a person has hepatitis C is to get tested:

A free kit that will test for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and hepatitis C can be accessed from Test and Post
People can self-refer or find out more information by going to the Cardiff and Vale UHB Viral Hepatitis page or by calling 029 21843618 or emailing BBV.outreach.Cav@wales.nhs.uk
NHS 111 Wales also has extensive information about hepatitis C on its website. You can also seek advice from your GP or at your local sexual health clinic.

You can reduce your risk of becoming infected by:

Not sharing any drug-injecting equipment with other people – including needles and other equipment such as syringes, spoons and filters
Not sharing razors or toothbrushes that might be contaminated with blood
Having cosmetic procedures, such as tattoos or dental treatment, at licensed premises.

The risk of getting hepatitis C through sex is very low. However, it may be higher if blood is present, such as menstrual blood or from minor bleeding during anal sex. Condoms are a good idea to use when having anal sex or sex with a new partner.