A new lease on life after liver transplant and treatment for hepatitis c
Scott Kirk learned he had HCV only after damage to his liver was critical
Scott Kirk does not know how or when he might have contracted the hepatitis C virus (HCV). By the time he learned he had chronic HCV, he was already facing a medical crisis. In the summer of 2016, he had been diagnosed with cirrhosis – a condition that results from permanent damage or scarring of the liver.
“I was bombarded with tests as the doctors explored options to treat my severe liver disease,” he says. “I was shocked when testing showed I had hepatitis C because I didn’t think I would be at risk.”
Kirk’s experience is not unusual; people can have HCV infection for years or decades without knowing it because most people have few if any symptoms until damage to their liver is very advanced. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) estimates that around 250,000 people in Canada are living with HCV, of whom an estimated 44 per cent are unaware of their infection.
Kirk says he was surprised to learn of his infection as he never injected drugs or engaged in other high-risk behaviours. That is also common – in many cases, no clear risk factors have been identified.
At age 56, Kirk is in the demographic group that has the highest incidence of chronic HCV – those born between 1945 and 1975. According to PHAC, up to 75 per cent of HCV infections in Canada are in this group, the majority of whom are baby boomers. As these people age, their rates of liver failure, liver cancer and death are expected to rise – unless strong action is taken.
Canada is among the nations that have endorsed the World Health Organization’s goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a global public health threat by 2030. The Public Health Agency of Canada has developed an action framework to reduce sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections, including HCV – and the Canadian Network on Hepatitis C, a national research and training network, developed a Blueprint
to Inform Hepatitis C Elimination Efforts in Canada.
This document describes this public health issue in strong terms: “Although preventable and curable, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been described as Canada’s ‘most burdensome infectious illness’ since it causes more years of life lost than any other infectious disease in the country.”
According to the Blueprint, Canada is facing “twin HCV epidemics.” One of the epidemics is among the people in the 1945 to 1975 cohort, and the other is “primarily among young people who inject drugs.” In this younger group, new infections continue to spread. Public health experts stress that the complexity of the HCV epidemics makes it necessary to have a comprehensive response – including prevention, testing and diagnosis, and care and treatment.
For people who have been infected with HCV for many years and are not aware, a key priority is to be tested and then treated. “We can now offer safe, well-tolerated, simple treatments with cure rates above 95 per cent,” according to the Blueprint.
Because his liver disease was so critical, Kirk first needed a liver transplant. His doctors told him treatment for HCV would come later. He was put on the donation list and received a transplant in November of 2017. In early 2018, Kirk received treatment for his hepatitis C.
“After everything I’d been through and to learn that I was also cured of hepatitis C – I was ecstatic,” he says. This father of three says he’s getting his life back on track and is focused on pursuing new goals for his health and career. He plans to become a speaker and an advocate for hepatitis C testing.
“I think a lot of people have misconceptions – thinking it couldn’t have happened to them. I believe people should not be afraid to find out if they have HCV because treatments are now available. All it takes is a simple blood test.”
“We can now offer safe, welltolerated, simple treatments with cure rates above 95 per cent. Blueprint to Inform Hepatitis C Elimination Efforts in Canada