What Is Hepatitis C:
Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus and can be an acute (sudden) or chronic infection. Many acute infections go unreported, but it's estimated that there are approximately 19,000 new infections each year in the United States. As many as 85% of these will become chronic. More than 3 million people in the United States have chronic hepatitis C.
Symptoms of Hepatitis C:
It often has no signs or symptoms as an acute infection. Because of this, there are people who have acute hepatitis but don't realize it. For others, early symptoms are described as "flu-like" and include loss of appetite, extreme tiredness, muscle and joint pains. Different symptoms or signs, such as jaundice, can develop as the infection progresses.
Diagnosis:
Hepatitis C is diagnosed using a special blood test that looks for hepatitis C antibodies or the virus itself. Different tests are available, but they can only suggest viral hepatitis infection or determine liver disease in general.
Treatment:
Hepatitis C is usually treated if it becomes a chronic infection. Early treatment with a combination of two drugs (peginterferon and ribavirin) is the standard therapy for most people. Treatment is easier with some types of hepatitis C infection than with others. Also, treatment can be complicated by having hepatitis C and other diseases (like HIV) at the same time.
What Happens After Infection:
Hepatitis C begins as an acute infection and some people will be able to fight this off without any treatment. In other words, the infection will clear up on its own. However, in most people the infection will become chronic and could lead to serious complications such as cirrhosis, liver cancer or liver failure.
Prevention:
Hepatitis C spreads through direct contact with infected blood. There are very effective strategies to limit your risk of exposure to the hepatitis C virus, and thus, prevent a future infection.
Sources:
Berenguer M, Wright, TL. Hepatitis C. In: M Feldman, LS Friedman, LJ Brandt (eds), Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, 8e. Philadelphia, Elsevier, 2006. 1681-1712.
Dienstag, JL. Acute Viral Hepatitis. In: AS Fauci, E Braunwald, DL Kasper, SL Hauser, DL Longo, JL Jameson, J Loscaizo (eds), Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, 17e. New York, McGraw-Hill, 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com.
Dienstag, JL. Chronic Hepatitis. In: AS Fauci, E Braunwald, DL Kasper, SL Hauser, DL Longo, JL Jameson, J Loscaizo (eds), Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, 17e. New York, McGraw-Hill, 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com.
