A new study has revealed that hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers returning home may be unknowingly carrying the deadly hepatitis C virus if they got a tattoo or piercing abroad.
The virus is transmitted through blood contact and can spread in tattoo or piercing studios if equipment is not properly sterilized.
This risk is particularly increased in countries where infection control standards may differ from those in the UK.
Now experts are warning young Britons again, as one in four people aged 16 to 34 in England have had a tattoo done abroad or know someone who has, according to a new survey of more than 2,000 people.
Hepatitis C can cause life-threatening liver damage and often leads to years of asymptomatic illness. It is estimated that 62,000 people in England are living with the virus unknowingly.
Hepatitis C (pictured) is often asymptomatic for years and in some cases decades. It is estimated that 62,000 people in England are living with the virus unknowingly.
The virus, which spreads through blood-to-blood contact, can spread in tattoo or piercing studios when equipment is not properly sterilized or when proper hygiene measures are not followed.
Muscle pain, high fever, fatigue, loss of appetite and abdominal pain are all symptoms of the virus, but it is often confused with the flu or other common infections.
If left untreated, hepatitis C can lead to life-threatening conditions such as liver cancer or liver failure.
But according to the NHS, modern treatments can cure more than 90 percent of people with hepatitis C.
A high-profile victim is 57-year-old model and Baywatch star Pamela Anderson. In 2002, she revealed that she had contracted the virus and was told she would die within ten years.
But in 2015, after drug treatment, she discovered she was cured.
Pamela Anderson, 57, said she contracted the virus and was told she would die within 10 years.
Research by Preventx, a sexual health testing company, has found that more than half of 16- to 34-year-olds (53.5 percent) in England say they don’t know much about hepatitis C. Alarmingly, this research was carried out by Preventx, a sexual health testing company.
It also turned out that 80 percent of respondents were not aware that you can contract the disease when getting a tattoo or piercing.
One in three people say they find it ‘funny’ when someone gets a tattoo abroad, and would encourage a friend to get one too when they are abroad.
Two in five respondents said they knew someone who had gotten a tattoo while drunk on holiday.
Although injecting drug use still poses the greatest risk of hepatitis C, data show that parts of Africa, Central, South and East Asia and Eastern Europe are of greatest concern in terms of increased risk of hepatitis C.
Health experts are urging anyone who may have come into contact with the virus to use a new home testing service from the NHS.
The service is a partnership between NHS England, Preventx and the Hepatitis C Trust. So far, more than 60,000 people have ordered a test through the service.
Rachel Halford, CEO of The Hepatitis C Trust, said: ‘While someone may not experience noticeable symptoms, hepatitis C can act like a ticking time bomb in the body, causing liver damage for years without being noticed.
‘The virus spreads through blood-to-blood contact, which means that if tattoo or piercing equipment is not properly sterilized, the virus can be passed between clients.’
She calls on people who have ever had a tattoo or piercing done abroad to get tested.
She added: ‘The test is free, confidential and you get your results back within a few days. If the result is negative, it gives you peace of mind. If the result is positive, hepatitis C can be easily treated and cured.’
Dr Vanessa Apea, Medical Director at Preventx and NHS Consultant, said: ‘Many people don’t realise that you can get hepatitis C through tattoos or piercings, provided they are done in a non-sterile environment.
‘This virus can go undetected for years, but it is completely curable with a simple course of tablets, especially if caught early. I would encourage anyone who is concerned about their hepatitis C risk to get tested.’
The free test consists of a finger prick and taking a small blood sample. This blood sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis.
People who test positive will be contacted and connected to appropriate treatment options.