THE MP for West Devon and Torridge gave his support to World Hepatitis Day last week, to help raise awareness of the silent but costly epidemic.

Viral hepatitis is the eighth leading cause of death worldwide, however, if diagnosed early, current treatments can cure more than 70% of patients.

The MP gave his support to the cause after being contacted by a constituent whose son died from a combination of hepatitis C, HIV and AIDS after being given contaminated blood in the 1980s.

Around 500 million people around the world are currently living with the illness, which is the referred to as a 'silent epidemic' due to its lack of noticeable symptoms. In the UK 216,000 people have hepatitis C, yet half remain undiagnosed and only around 3% receive treatment each year.

Receiving a blood transfusion, blood products or organ transplantation prior to 1991, or having a blood transfusion or invasive medical procedure in a developing country, are both key risk factors for contracting the illness.

Mr Cox is also part of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Haemophilia and Contaminated Blood, which promotes awareness of, and campaigns for, people with haemophilia and those infected with hepatitis C and HIV due to contaminated blood products used in their NHS treatment.

Mr Cox said: 'Hepatitis affects huge numbers of people across the world, often going undiagnosed until it becomes a lot harder to treat. Awareness must be raised to ensure that the condition is caught early and can be successfully treated and cleared. I would urge anyone who thinks they could have been at risk to get tested.'

Additional risk factors for contracting the condition include current/past IV drug use, having tattoos/piercings/acupuncture in unregistered premises or using unsterilised equipment and sharing razors.