Hepatitis C deaths on the rise

WASHINGTON -- Deaths from liver-destroying hepatitis C are on the rise, and new data show baby boomers especially should take heed -- they are most at risk.

Federal health officials are considering whether anyone born between 1945 and 1965 should get a one-time blood test to check if their livers harbor this ticking time bomb. Two-thirds of people with hepatitis C are in this age group, most unaware that a virus that takes a few decades to do its damage has festered since their younger days.

The issue has taken new urgency since two drugs hit the market last summer that promise to cure many more people than ever was possible. And research published yesterday says testing millions of the middle-aged to find those who need the pricey treatment would save thousands of lives.

"One of every 33 baby boomers are living with hepatitis C infection," says Dr. John Ward of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ". . . it's a silent epidemic." -- AP