I had a check-up with heppy doc yesterday.
Amongst other tests taken 3 months ago was a test to 'genotype' my Hepatitis B infection.
Hepatitis B has 8 subgroups which are prevalent in different parts of the world. Diagnose your 'type' and you may be able to work out where you where infected, or by who.
I found out yesterday that mine is Genotype A
88% of Hep B positive people in Kenya are Genotype A.
I think that's my answer.
It seems unlikely now that a piercing parlour or a dentist in white middle class South West England in the 70's would have been my source of infection with an East African genotype.
It seems more likely now that something like a mosquito bite during a trip to Kenya in the mid '70's is the source. I do remember feeling a bit rough for a couple of days, but was never jaundiced or really unwell.
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS - a diagnosis and treatment of Hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer) diagnosed August 2010, presumed caused by 30+ years of chronic hepatitis B. And a search for how to be healthy living with cirrhosis presumed caused by Autoimmune hepatitis (diagnosed April 2011)
Wow - that is incredible. Tracked down to a mosquito bite.
ReplyDeleteFiona,
ReplyDeleteAre you serious? I had no idea that mosquitos could spread hepatitis so easily. That is an extremely scary thought... since it is next to impossible to entirely avoid exposure to mosquitos. I hope they automatically screen for hepatitis whenever they draw blood.