Hepatitis C symptoms and treatment
Hepatitis C (HCV) is a virus that causes inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. It is a member of the family of viruses that include hepatitis A and hepatitis B. The viruses behave differently and have different modes of transmission. Hepatitis C can cause serious liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer, and even death.
About 2.7-3.9 million people in the US currently live with chronic hepatitis C infection. 75per cent-85per cent of people infected with hepatitis C are infected with chronic hepatitis C. The virus is most common in baby boomers who represent 75per cent of infected adults. The rates of hepatitis C were the highest in the 1970s and 1980s, the time when many baby boomers were likely infected. Many people who have hepatitis C dont know they have it because the virus may not produce symptoms until decades after infection.
Hepatitis C is less common in children, but there are approximately 23,000-46,000 children in the US with hepatitis C. Most children are infected by hepatitis C at birth. A child has a 1 in 20 chance of being infected if the mother has hepatitis C. Adolescents can be infected with hepatitis C by exposing themselves to IV drug use, sharing needles, and high-risk sexual behaviors. Up to 40per cent of hepatitis C cases in children will go away on their own by age 2, if the virus is transmitted at birth.
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne illness, meaning it is transmitted via contact with infected blood. Usually the virus enters the body through a puncture wound on the skin. Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) spreads through contaminated blood.
Until recently, hepatitis C treatment required weekly injections and oral medications that many HCV-infected people couldnt take because of other health problems or unacceptable side effects.
Thats changing. Today, chronic HCV is usually curable with oral medications taken every day for two to six months. Every chronic hepatitis C infection starts with an acute phase. Acute hepatitis C usually goes undiagnosed because it rarely causes symptoms. When signs and symptoms are present, they may include jaundice, along with fatigue, nausea, fever and muscle aches. Acute symptoms appear one to three months after exposure to the virus and last two weeks to three months.
Acute hepatitis C infection doesnt always become chronic. Some people clear HCV from their bodies after the acute phase, an outcome known as spontaneous viral clearance. In studies of people diagnosed with acute HCV, rates of spontaneous viral clearance have varied from 15per cent to 25per cent. Acute hepatitis C also responds well to antiviral therapy.
Still, about half of people with HCV dont know theyre infected, mainly because they have no symptoms, which can take decades to appear. For that reason, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all adults ages 18 to 79 years be screened for hepatitis C, even those without symptoms or known liver disease. The largest group at risk includes everyone born between 1945 and 1965 a population five times more likely to be infected than those born in other years
Yes, hepatitis C is contagious. The most common way hepatitis C is transmitted is via injection drug use. Sharing needles with someone who is infected can transmit hepatitis C. Health care professionals may contract the virus via needlestick injury. Prior to 1992, the US blood supply was not screened the way it is today, so some people contracted hepatitis C from infected blood transfusions. Rarely, babies born to hepatitis C-infected mothers acquire the virus. Hepatitis C can also be spread by having sex with an infected person or sharing personal items (a razor or toothbrush) with someone who has the virus, but these cases are rare.
Acute hepatitis C infection refers to symptoms that appear within 6 months of newly acquiring the virus. About 20 per cent to 30 per cent of those who acquire hepatitis C experience acute illness. After this, the body either clears the virus or goes on to develop chronic infection.
Chronic hepatitis C infection refers to long-lasting infection. The majority of people who have acute hepatitis C infection (75per cent to 85per cent) go on to develop the chronic form of the illness. Still, when someones receiving treatments that can be difficult, having a strong support system helps, Dr. Reau says. Friends and family can not only offer you support and understanding, but also assist with your errands and medical appointments when youre not feeling good.
Hepatitis C infection is diagnosed with several blood tests. The hepatitis C antibody test checks for antibodies (immune particles) that fight the virus. A non-reactive result means that antibodies to the virus are not detected. A reactive result means antibodies to the virus are present, but the test is unable to indicate whether the infection is current or from the past. Another blood test to assess the presence of hepatitis C genetic material (HCV RNA test) is available. The results of this test can help doctors determine whether hepatitis C infection is current or not. Additional blood tests can be used to determine the amount of virus in the body, known as a titer.
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