What do Naomi Judd, Christopher Kennedy Lawford, and Gregg Allman have in common? Hepatitis C. They, like 2 million of their fellow baby boomers, were infected with this virus that causes chronic liver disease. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is sounding the alarm: If you're a boomer, get tested, get treated, get on it today! Why? Because people born between 1945 and 1965 are the segment of the population most likely to have hep C, and yet most have no idea they are infected.

Hep C takes its time chipping away at the liver, and decades can pass without any noticeable symptoms. During that time, an infected person may unknowingly pass the infection to others through contact with infected blood (sharing a needle, toothbrush, or razor) or sexual activity. The newly infected person may then unknowingly pass it along, too. And that can repeat again and again. See why we have a problem?

Hep C causes liver disease from 70 percent to 85 percent of the time and can trigger cirrhosis or liver cancer. But the good news is that with treatment, 75 percent of cases can be cured. So go to your doctor for a simple one-time blood test. It checks for antibodies to the hep C virus. If you've got the insidious bug, you need to know what subtype of the infection you have; it changes treatment choices and effectiveness. Knowledge is power — the power to protect your health and the health of those with whom you come in contact.


© 2012 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.