The workshop, being led by Dr. Khalis Moussa, a gastroenterologist at TGMC, will present facts on the infectious viral disease that affects people of all ages in the U.S. and around the world and what you can do to protect yourself.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, hepatitis C is the most common chronic bloodborne infection in the United States and affects approximately 3.2 million people.

“This disease is an epidemic, and we’re currently reaching the peak of this epidemic,” Moussa, 49, said.

The disease, which attacks the liver, is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact.

“the people who are most at risk are those individuals who received donated blood before 1992 and blood-clotting agents prior to 1987,” Moussa said.

Since the disease doesn’t present symptoms for upward of 20-plus years that’s one reason why the world is currently seeing a spike in the number of documented hepatitis C cases, he said.

Moussa said the best method for doctors to determine the stage and long-term prognosis for individual hepatitis C cases is a liver biopsy.

“the problem is even peoople who have a chronic case of the disease don’t show symptoms,” he said. “If they do have symptoms, the most common one is fatigue. Less common symptoms can range from nasua and weight loss.”

Those diagnosed with the disease, especially in a family environment, need to be vigilant when it comes to sharing things like tooth brushes and razors, Moussa said.

“It’s not recommended that people with the disease engage in activities where blood could be directly exchanged between themselves and others,” he said.

Although the disease can be transmitted sexually, that makes up only a small number of the total cases worldwide, Moussa said.

Moussa added that common sense safeguards such as sharing toothbrushes and razors and getting the hepatitis a and B vaccinations can protect a person from contracting hepatitis C. unlike hepatatis C, hepatitis a and B rarely lead to chronic infection.

The upcoming workshop is free and open to the public.

For information, call 858-7020.

Staff Writer Thad Angelloz can be reached at 857-2207 or thad.angelloz@houmatoday.com.