Baby Boomers Should Get Hepatitis C Test

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Hepatitis C has been called the disease of the baby boomers. Not that others are not at risk, but baby boomers may have been exposed before we knew much about hepatitis C.

There are tests available for hepatitis C. It's never easy to learn you have a chronic condition, but it's important to know if you have hepatitis C so you can take steps to help protect your liver.

To find out if you have hepatitis C, your doctor will do a blood test. It's called a hepatitis C antibody test. This test can tell if you have ever been infected with hepatitis C.

If you find out you are positive and can get treated early enough it makes a big difference.