Hepatitis C

What is hepatitis?

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected. Heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and certain medical conditions can all cause hepatitis. However, hepatitis is often caused by a virus. In the United States, the most common hepatitis viruses are hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis A is usually a short-term infection. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C can also begin as short-term infections, but in some people, the virus remains in the body and causes chronic (long-term) infection. There are vaccines to prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B; however, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C.

Description:

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a small (55–65 nm in size), enveloped, positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae). Hepatitis C can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, long-term illness. Hepatitis C is often described as “acute,” meaning a new infection, or “chronic,” meaning long-term infection.

Transmission:

The hepatitis C virus is usually spread when someone comes into contact with blood from an infected person. This can happen through:

►Sharing drug-injection equipment.

►Birth.

►Health care exposures.

►Sex with an infected person.

►Unregulated tattoos or body piercings.

►Sharing personal items.

►Blood transfusions and organ transplants.

Before widespread screening of the blood supply in 1992, hepatitis C was also spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants. Now, the risk of transmission to recipients of blood or blood products is extremely low.

Symptoms:

Many people newly infected with the hepatitis C virus don’t have symptoms, don’t look or feel sick, and therefore don’t know they are infected. For people who develop symptoms, they usually happen 2–12 weeks after exposure to the hepatitis C virus and can include yellow skin or eyes, not wanting to eat, upset stomach, throwing up, stomach pain, fever, dark urine, light-colored stool, joint pain, and feeling tired. These are the symptoms of acute hepatitis C. Most people with chronic hepatitis C don’t have any symptoms or have only general symptoms like chronic fatigue and depression. Many people eventually develop chronic liver disease, which can range from mild to severe and include cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer. Chronic liver disease in people with hepatitis C usually happens slowly, without any signs or symptoms, over several decades. Chronic hepatitis C virus infection is often not recognized until people are screened for blood donation or from an abnormal blood test found during a routine doctor’s visit.

Treatment:

Treatment is recommended for all people, including non-pregnant women, with acute or chronic hepatitis C (including children aged ≥3 years and adolescents). Current treatments usually involve just 8–12 weeks of oral therapy (pills) and cure over 90% with few side effects.

People with chronic hepatitis C and those with cirrhosis (even if they have been cured of their hepatitis C infection) should be monitored regularly by a doctor, because these people have a continued risk of complications of advanced liver disease, including liver cancer. In addition, people living with hepatitis C should

• be vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B

• avoid alcohol because it can cause additional damage to the liver

• check with their doctor before taking any prescription pills, herbs, supplements, or over-the-counter medications, as these can potentially damage the liver

• be tested for HIV, because people who have both infections are more likely to get cirrhosis

Prevention:

Sadly there isn’t any vaccine for hepatitis C which can prevent this virus.