Council hears of problems from hepatitis in Phila.

Ricardo Rivera of the Philadelphia Hepatitis Outreach Project (P-HOP) calls his work "his passion" - one that came from great personal cost. Rivera, 46, of Somerton, lost his wife, Angela, this year to liver cancer caused by hepatitis C.

Rivera represented part of the hepatitis-affected community in Philadelphia at a City Council briefing Thursday presented by Councilman-at-large David Oh. Oh wants to raise awareness of hepatitis prevention and treatment because of its effect on Philadelphia residents.

Hepatitis B disproportionately affects Asian and African American communities, Nina Ahmad, city commissioner for Asian American affairs, said at the briefing.

An estimated 20,000 Philadelphians are infected with hepatitis B, which is largely undiagnosed, according to research by the Philadelphia Health Department. An additional 45,000 city residents are estimated to have hepatitis C, but less than 10 percent are being treated, officials were told.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hepatitis B and C are liver diseases caused by blood-borne viruses. The diseases can be transmitted by intravenous drug use, infected needles, and contaminated blood transfusions. Hepatitis B can also be transmitted during unprotected sex.

Council had designated May as Hepatitis Awareness Month, calling for testing all high-risk residents. The Thursday briefing was intended to show Council members the need for funding for accessible screening.

"It's easily identified, and such a large portion of the people who have hepatitis B and C are not aware," Oh said. "Less than 40 percent of high-risk individuals receive the vaccine to protect against hepatitis B."

Oh said he might call for a hearing to get Health Department input on funding and hepatitis screening. He said advocacy groups such as Hep B United Philadelphia and Hepatitis C Allies of Philadelphia (HepCAP) would then be able to present their desires.

According to the CDC, hepatitis B is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV, and results in 2,000 to 4,000 deaths per year. In 2007, the CDC said, hepatitis C caused more than 1,500 deaths nationwide.

HepCAP representative Alexandra Shirreffs said hepatitis death rates have surpassed those of HIV in America.

"People do not have to be dying of this disease," Shirreffs said. "We need to stop people from dying if we have the tools to do it."

Chari Cohen of Hep B United said the need for testing is so great that her organization is strapped and has difficulty also providing vaccination and preventive education.

"It's like we're running behind the ice cream truck, running and running to keep up," Cohen said.