What is hepatitis C?

A viral disease that causes inflammation of the liver.

What are the symptoms?

Many people with hepatitis do not have any symptoms, or they think they have the flu for several days.

If they do have symptoms, the typical symptoms are:

• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Dark brown urine
• Yellowish skin and eyes (jaundice)
• Light colored stools
• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• General aches and pains

What is the cause of hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is caused by a virus. Most commonly, the virus was acquired by exposure to blood and blood products (transfusions) before there was a test available to exclude hepatitis C carriers from donating blood. Now all donors of blood are screened for hepatitis C. Other risks of exposure include:

• Sharing used needles and syringes when using IV drugs
• Tattooing needles and body piercing instruments, if not correctly sterilized
• Infected mother giving birth
• Sexual exposure

Who is at risk?

• IV drug users
• Hemodialysis patients
• Infants born to infected mothers
• Health care workers including first responders
• Sexual partners of a person infected with hepatitis C

How long after I am infected will I become ill?

The incubation period ranges from 2 weeks to 6 months, most commonly 6 - 9 weeks.

How is it diagnosed?

The physician will do a physical examination and order blood tests to determine the type of hepatitis you have. The physician will also need to determine if the hepatitis is caused by alcohol, drugs/medicines you are taking, or by other viruses.

How long does the disease last?

• The initial infection tends to be mild with symptoms lasting a week or two; most infections are asymptomatic initially. However, persistent infection occurs in 85% of cases with risk of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.
• Those with persistent infection continue to be infectious to others.

What is the treatment for hepatitis C?

• Alpha interferon is the only treatment currently available for chronic hepatitis C infection, but less than 20% of patients responded well to this treatment.
• Rest, healthy diet, and reduction of stress to the liver are recommended. Alcohol and some medicines should be avoided. Ask your doctor which drugs you should not take.

How can I keep from getting hepatitis C?

There is no hepatitis C vaccine. The best prevention is to avoid exposure to the virus:

• Practice safe sex - use a condom
• Clean up blood with 1:10 bleach solution or other disinfectant, using gloves
• Do not have tattoos or body piercing
• Do not share toothbrushes and razors

If I have hepatitis C, how can I keep from spreading it?

• Do not donate blood, organs, tissues, or semen
• Practice safe sex - use a condom
• Do not share injection drug needles, razor blades or electric razors, or toothbrushes
• If you get any of your blood on anything, clean it up using a 1:10 solution of bleach or a disinfectant
• Always tell your health care providers that you have had hepatitis C and share this information with sexual partners.

What type of follow-up care do I need?

• Your physician will do follow-up blood work to check how well your liver is working (liver function tests, or LFTs)

Where can I get more information?

The Hepatitis Foundation International
504 Blick Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20904-2901
1-800-891-0707

American Liver Foundation
75 Maiden Lane, Suite 603
New York, NY 10038-4810
800-676-9340

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
888-443-7232