People at risk of having the Hepatitis C virus are being encouraged to come forward for testing as part of a new Scottish Government campaign.
The communications campaign is designed to tackle the current Hepatitis C epidemic by increasing awareness of the virus among at-risk groups, and encouraging them to come forward for testing.
The campaign - part of the three-year Hepatitis C Action Plan which aims to improve testing, treatment, care and support services - will support the Scottish Government's target to get 2,000 new people into Hep C treatment each year.
Public Health Minister Shona Robison said:
"Hepatitis C is a serious illness but, crucially, it can be treated. That's why early diagnosis is vital - unless people know they have the virus they can't be treated.
"Anti-viral treatment completely clears the virus in up to 80 per cent of cases, reducing liver damage and complications, as well as preventing infected people from transmitting the virus.
"Although most people contract hepatitis C through injecting drug use, 8 in 10 people currently infected are not currently injecting drugs.
"The main aim of this campaign is to get more people to come forward for testing. However, it will also dispel some of myths surrounding Hep C - for instance, you can't catch Hep C through saliva and in the main it's spread through blood to blood contact."
The campaign will use strategically-placed posters to target groups such as former injecting drug users, people who had a blood transfusion in the UK before 1992, anyone who may have shared items, such as razors, with someone who has the virus.
Health boards and stakeholders have been preparing for an increase in hepatitis C testing and treatment since the action plan launched in 2008.
Progress to date includes:
* Increasing the number of people treated for hepatitis C. NHS boards will treat around 800 new patients for Hep C in 2009-2010, compared with around 400 in 2007-08
* Significant infrastructure and service development for Hepatitis C treatment, care and support to increase treatment numbers further
* A Hepatitis C Managed Care Network (MCN) within each board area, made up of relevant specialists
* A learning and development lead at each health board to co-ordinate training for professionals who deal with people who have, or may have, the virus
Information on testing, referral and treatment is available at www.hepcscotland.co.uk
Hepatitis C is a potentially fatal blood-borne virus.
Around 40,000 people are currently living with chronic hepatitis C infection in Scotland. As many as 60 per cent of these cases are undiagnosed and many of those who have had a positive diagnosis are not in treatment.
The majority of Hep C sufferers contracted the virus through injecting drug use, but it can also be caught through unhygienic tattoos or piercings, or a blood transfusion in the UK before 1992.
The £240,000 campaign runs from today until the end of March.
Activity will focus primarily on five Health Board Areas - Grampian, Lanarkshire, Tayside, Lothian and Greater Glasgow and Clyde with telephone box adverts placed with 100 metres of pharmacies/drug treatment centres for two weeks from March 8 and bus stop adverts placed within 100 metres of pharmacies/drug treatment centres for two weeks from March 15. Posters have also been issued to every Drug Treatment Centre in Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service.