Definition | Causes | Risk Factors | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment | Prevention

Definition

Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes it.

Hepatitis

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Causes

The hepatitis C virus is spread through contact with the blood of an infected person.

A woman with hepatitis can pass the virus on to her baby during birth. The hepatitis C virus is not spread through food or water.

Risk Factors

Factors that increase your chance of this infection:

  • Injecting illicit drugs, especially with shared needles
  • Receiving a blood transfusion before 1992—this risk is very low in the United States.
  • Receiving blood clotting products before 1987
  • Receiving an HCV-infected organ transplant
  • Long-term kidney dialysis treatment
  • Sharing toothbrushes, razors, nail clippers, or other personal hygiene items that have HCV-infected blood on them
  • Being accidentally stuck by an HCV-infected needle—a concern for healthcare workers
  • Frequent contact with HCV-infected people—a concern for healthcare workers
  • Tattooing
  • Body piercing
  • Having sex with partners who have hepatitis C or other sexually transmitted diseases—this is most common in men who have sex with men.

Symptoms

Eighty percent of people with hepatitis C have no symptoms. Over time, the disease can cause serious liver damage.

Symptoms may include:

  • Fatigue
  • Loss of appetite
  • Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)
  • Darker colored urine
  • Loose, light, or chalky colored stools
  • Abdominal pain
  • Aches and pains
  • Itching
  • Hives
  • Joint pain
  • Cigarette smokers may suddenly dislike the taste of cigarettes
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting

Chronic hepatitis C may cause some of the above symptoms, as well as:

  • Weakness
  • Severe fatigue
  • Loss of appetite

Serious complications of hepatitis C include:

  • Chronic infection that will lead to cirrhosis (scarring) and progressive liver failure
  • Increased risk of liver cancer

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. You will also discuss your risk factors.

Tests may include:

Treatment

Hepatitis C is usually treated with combined therapy, consisting of:

  • Interferon—given by injection
  • Ribavirin —given orally
  • Protease inhibitor

These medicines can cause difficult side effects. They also have limited success rates.

In unsuccessful cases, chronic hepatitis C can cause cirrhosis and serious liver damage. A liver transplant may be needed, although it does not typically cure hepatitis C.

If you are diagnosed with hepatitis C, follow your doctor's instructions .

Prevention

To prevent becoming infected with hepatitis C:

  • Do not inject illicit drugs. Shared needles have the highest risk. Seek help to stop using drugs.
  • Do not have sex with partners who have sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
  • Practice safe sex (using latex condoms) or abstain from sex.
  • Limit your number of sexual partners.
  • Do not share personal items that might have blood on them, such as:
    • Razors
    • Toothbrushes
    • Manicuring tools
    • Pierced earrings
  • Avoid handling items that may be contaminated by HCV-infected blood.
  • Donate your own blood before elective surgery to be used if you need a blood transfusion.

To prevent spreading hepatitis C to others if you are infected:

  • Tell your dentist and physician before receiving check-ups or treatment.
  • Get both a hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccination.
  • Do not donate blood or organs for transplant.