What is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that is the result of infection with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). The severity of symptoms for Hepatitis C ranges from a mild illness that lasts only a few weeks, to a serious, lifelong illness. Hepatitis C is primarily spread through contact with the blood of an infected person. Hepatitis B infection can be either “Acute” or “Chronic.”

What are the statistics?

In 2006, there were an estimated 19,000 new Hepatitis C virus infections reported in the United States. However, the official number of reported Hepatitis C cases is much lower than the number of actual infections. Many people who are infected with Hepatitis C never experience symptoms and therefore never come to the attention of medical or public health officials.

Chronis Hepatitis C: An estimated 3.2 million persons in the United States have chronic hepatitis C virus infection, according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control). Most people that are infected with Hepatitis C do not know they are infected because they don't look or feel sick. Acute Hepatitis C: Approximately 75%-85% of people who become infected with Hepatitis C virus develop chronic infection.

What are the symptoms of Hepatitis C?

Symptoms of acute hepatitis C, if they appear, can include:

Fever Fatigue Loss of appetite Nausea Vomiting Abdominal pain Dark urine Clay-colored bowel movements Joint pain Jaundice (yellow color in the skin or the eyes)

How soon do Hepatitis C symptoms appear after infection?

If symptoms occur, the average time is 6-7 weeks after exposure, but this can range from 2 weeks to 6 months. However, many people infected with the hepatitis C virus do not develop symptoms.

How is Hepatitis C transmitted?

Hepatitis C is spread when blood from a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. Today, most people become infected with the Hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment used to inject drugs. Prior to 1992, when widespread screening of the blood supply began in the United States, Hepatitis C was also commonly spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants.

People can become infected with the Hepatitis C virus during such activities as:

Sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs Needle stick injuries in healthcare settings Being born to a mother who has Hepatitis C Sharing items such as razors or toothbrushes with an infected person Sharing personal care items that may have come in contact with another person's blood, such as razors or toothbrushes Having sexual contact with a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus

What are ways Hepatitis C is not spread?

Hepatitis C virus is not spread by sharing eating utensils, breastfeeding, hugging, kissing, holding hands, coughing, or sneezing. It is also not spread through food or water and has not been shown to spread through mosquito bite.

Can you get Hepatitis C from sexual contact?

Yes, but the risk of transmission from sexual contact is believed to be low. The risk increases for those who have multiple sex partners, have a sexually transmitted disease, engage in rough sex, or are infected with HIV. More research is needed to better understand how and when hepatitis C can be spread through sexual contact.

Can you get Hepatitis C from a tattoo or a piercing?

A few major research studies have not shown Hepatitis C to be spread through licensed, commercial tattooing facilities. However, transmission of Hepatitis C (and other infectious diseases) is possible when poor infection-control practices are used during tattooing or piercing. Body art is becoming increasingly popular in the United States, and unregulated tattooing and piercing are known to occur in prisons and other informal or unregulated settings. Further research is needed to determine if these types of settings and exposures are responsible for Hepatitis C virus transmission.

Can Hepatitis C be spread within a household?

Yes, but this does not occur very often. If Hepatitis C virus is spread within a household, it is most likely a result of direct, through-the-skin exposure to the blood of the infected household member.

Who is at increased risk for Hepatitis C?

Some people are at increased risk for Hepatitis C, including:

Current injection drug users (currently the most common way Hepatitis C virus is spread in the United States) Past injection drug users, including those who injected only one time or many years ago Recipients of donated blood, blood products, and organs (once a common means of transmission but now rare in the United States since blood screening became available in 1992) People who received a blood product for clotting problems made before 1987 Hemodialysis patients or persons who spent many years on dialysis for kidney failure People who received body piercing or tattoos done with non-sterile instruments People with known exposures to the Hepatitis C virus, such as Healthcare workers injured by needlesticks Recipients of blood or organs from a donor who tested positive for the Hepatitis C virus HIV-infected persons Children born to mothers infected with the Hepatitis C virus

Less common risks include:

Having sexual contact with a person who is infected with the Hepatitis C virus Sharing personal care items, such as razors or toothbrushes, that may have come in contact with the blood of an infected person.

Can Hepatitis C be passed through pregnancy?

Hepatitis C is rarely passed from a pregnant woman to her baby. About 4 of every 100 infants born to mothers with Hepatitis C become infected with the virus. However, the risk becomes greater if the mother has both HIV infection and Hepatitis C.

Can you spread Hepatitis C without having symptoms?

Yes, even if a person with Hepatitis C has no symptoms, he or she can still spread the virus to others.

Can you have Hepatitis C and not even know it?

Yes, many people who are infected with the Hepatitis C virus do not know they are infected because they do not look or feel sick.


Are there long term affects of Hepatitis C?

There are potentially various long term affects of contracting Hepatitis C. Of every 100 people infected with the hepatitis C virus, about

75-85 people will develop chronic Hepatitis C virus infection; of those, 60-70 people will go on to develop chronic liver disease 5-20 people will go on to develop cirrhosis over a period of 20-30 years 1-5 people will die from cirrhosis or liver cancer

Can Hepatitis C go away on its own?

Yes, approximately 15%-25% of people who get Hepatitis C will clear the virus from their bodies without treatment and will not develop chronic infection. Experts do not fully understand why this happens for some people.

Who should be tested for Hepatitis C?

You should be tested for Hepatitis C if any of the following are true:

You are a current or former injection drug user, even if you injected only one time or many years ago You were treated for a blood clotting problem before 1987 You received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992 You are on long-term hemodialysis treatment You have abnormal liver tests or liver disease You work in healthcare or public safety and were exposed to blood through a needle stick or other sharp object injury

Should you be tested for Hepatitis C when pregnant?

No, getting tested for hepatitis C is not part of routine prenatal care. However, if a pregnant woman has risk factors for Hepatitis C virus infection, she should speak with her doctor about getting tested.

How do you test for Hepatitis C?

Typically, a person will first get a screening test that will show whether he or she has developed antibodies to the Hepatitis C virus. (An antibody is a substance found in the blood that the body produces in response to a virus.) Having a positive antibody test means that a person was exposed to the virus at some time in his or her life. If the antibody test is positive, a second test "confirmation test" should be performed to confirm whether the virus is still present in the person's bloodstream.


Is there a vaccine for Hepatitis C?

Not yet. Vaccines are available only for Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B. Research into the development of a vaccine is under way.