This was disclosed at a seminar on 'The role of media in creating hepatitis C awareness', organised by Roche Bangladesh Ltd. at the IDB Bhaban at Agargaon in the city yesterday.

"About one percent of healthy adults in Bangladesh are HCV carriers while 1.2 percent of professional blood donors are HCV carriers," said Prof Mobin Khan, chairman of the department of hepatology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, in his keynote paper.

Referring to some specific studies, he said that about 25 percent of intravenous drug users carry the virus while about 3 to 13 percent of the population suffer from acute hepatitis or various liver diseases.

HCV prevalence among the children is less common, but it is estimated that about 0.02 - 0.4 percent of children suffer from the disease globally.

"The causes of about 30 percent of all hepatitis C infection are not known, but such an infection leads to jaundice, fatigue, dark urine, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and nausea or vomiting tendency," said Prof Mobin.

To effectively prevent the spread of HCV infection, specific strategies involving the schools should be taken up, said Mahbubul Alam, editor of The Independent.

Ataus Samad, advisory editor of the daily Amar Desh, called for raising awareness about the 'silent killer' through radio and television programmes.

Shafiqul Karim, president of Dhaka Reporters' Unity, Dr Rizwan Hossain Siddique, director general of the Press Institute of Bangladesh, also spoke at the seminar moderated by Prof SAR Choudhury, medical advisor of Roche Bangladesh.