By Mike Bowersock
Published: January 19, 2011
BEXLEY, Ohio -- Hepatitis C is striking Vietnam-era veterans at a rate five times the general public and a local man is working to get the word out.
NBC4 reported about the effort Monday, and since then, the man has received several calls, emails and inquiries.
Hepatitis C can remain undetected for 10, 20, 30 years or more.
So some veterans are just finding out that the reason they're always tired or perhaps have abdominal pains is hepatitis C.
NBC4 has featured Dennis Agin in stories regarding Agent Orange, but he's also discovered he has hepatitis C and has been researching it among veterans.
Agin performed oral surgery while in the Navy in Vietnam and many of the veterans who are discovering they have the virus were medics or somehow came in contact with blood.
After the story on veterans and hepatits C aired on NBC4, several veterans and families of veterans contacted Agin, wanting more information.
"From people who saw the video that you did and they happened to be doing something also and all of a sudden they look and they say that's what I have. That's my problem," said Agin.
He's meeting with some of the veterans, helping them fill out paperwork to see if they're eligible for benefits.
One of the calls Agin received was from a woman's whose father died of hepatitis C and was part of the first Marines to go into Vietnam.
NBC4 will continue to follow the story and provide updates as available.
To contact Dr. Agin, call 877-OHIO-VET or email n8iln@att.net.
Source
Also See: Hepatitis C Cases Appearing More In Vietnam Veterans
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