Hepatitis C

What is Hepatitis C?

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Hepatitis C, also known as Hep C, is a blood borne viral infection caused by the Hepatitis C Virus. Hepatitis C causes liver inflammation that sometimes leads to serious liver damage. Having a Hepatitis C infection for a long time can cause serious problems such as cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. In some cases, the damage may necessitate a liver transplant.            

What are the symptoms of Hepatitis C?

Patients with acute Hepatitis C are usually asymptomatic or experience mild symptoms. When they do experience symptoms, they include:

• Jaundice
• Light Colored stools
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Loss of Appetite
• Abdominal Pain
• Vomiting
• Joint pain
• Nausea

Most patients living with chronic Hepatitis C are asymptomatic. The patients who have symptoms, deal with common symptoms, such as:

• Fatigue
• Depression 

Over time, patients with chronic Hepatitis C may develop:

• Cirrhosis 
• Liver cancer
• Other chronic liver disease

What Causes Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is caused by the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). The virus is transmitted when infected blood enters the blood stream of someone who is not infected.  Some of the ways this can happen are:

• Sharing personal items, such as razors, that may have come in contact with a person’s blood
• Sharing needles
• Being tattooed or pierced in a setting with previously used, unsterilized needles
• Needlestick injuries in a healthcare setting, such as a hospital or clinic

How is Hepatitis C Prevented?

There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C. However, there are activities that should be avoided to reduce the risk of contracting the Hepatitis C Virus. These activities include:

• Engaging in unprotected sex
• Using illegal drugs and sharing needles
• Patroning body piercing or tattoo shops where sterility is questionable

How is Hepatitis C Treated?

The goal of Hepatitis C treatment is to clear the virus from the body.  Twelve weeks after completion of the treatment, there should be no Hepatitis C virus detected within the body. This is done using antiviral medications.

When chronic Hepatitis C causes serious complications, a liver transplant may be necessary to repair the liver. In most cases, this is not a cure and must be supplemented with antiviral medication. The antiviral medication works to prevent the same damage from happening to the new liver.