Researchers led by scientists at the Health Research Board have estimated that more than 9,317 of drug users with hepatitis C suffer from chronic forms of the disease.
The research team said there could also be a significant number of undiagnosed cases of hepatitis C among recent immigrants here. They said that although asylum seekers are routinely offered infectious disease testing, there is no systematic testing for other migrants.
They estimate that, based on the prevalence of the disease in the country of birth of immigrants, there are likely to be more than 10,000 cases of hepatitis C among the non-Irish national population of more than 766,000 people.
The most common form of infection of hepatitis C is through injecting drugs, usually as a result of sharing contaminated needles.
Source: Seán McCárthaigh,The Irish Examiner, 20/02/17
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