Hepatitis C: A Comprehensive Guide
Hepatitis C is estimated to affect between 2.4 to 3 million people in the United States alone, according to the National Institute of Health, and many of those with the infection are unaware that they even have it. Becoming better informed about this infectious disease can go a long way toward protecting yourself and those around you against hepatitis C.
Understanding Hepatitis C
Simply defined, hepatitis is liver inflammation. Although inflammation has many causes, the term “hepatitis” is most commonly heard in relation to the hepatitis A, B and C viruses.
While hepatitis A, B and C all affect the liver, each is caused by a separate virus and is transmitted differently to the body. Hepatitis A typically lasts only a few months, while hepatitis B may develop into a chronic disease. Vaccinations are available for both hepatitis A and B, but no vaccination exists for hepatitis C. This results in a much higher rate of occurrence for HCV. Hepatitis C is perhaps the most serious, and certainly the most deadly, of the hepatitis viruses.
Hepatitis C can occur as both an acute and chronic illness:
Acute hepatitis C: This is a short-term infection that can produce symptoms for up to six months. In instances like these, the body is able to fight off the hepatitis C virus.
Chronic hepatitis C: If the body is unable to fight off the infection, it becomes a chronic illness.
Chronic hepatitis C can last a lifetime if untreated and can lead to a series of other health problems (such as cirrhosis, liver cancer, and in severe cases, death).
Hepatitis C Symptoms and Signs
It is notoriously difficult for doctors to diagnose acute forms of hepatitis C because most people living with hepatitis C do not experience any symptoms. If hepatitis c symptoms do occur, they usually begin one to three months after the initial infection.
“Acute hepatitis C usually presents as flu-like symptoms, like fever, fatigue, malaise or generalized body pain,” says Dr. Chirag Patel, a liver diseases specialist with Galen Medical Group. “It is hard to differentiate from the common flu unless associated with jaundice (yellow skin coloration).”
Other hepatitis C symptoms can include dark yellow urine, gray-colored stool, abdomen pain, and vomiting.
If you experience these symptoms and think you may have hepatitis C, you should consult your family doctor or general practitioner.
If left untreated, hepatitis C can lead to worse complications such as cirrhosis (liver scarring), liver cancer, and liver failure.
“Cirrhosis occurs after about 25 to 30 years of infection, but it can be earlier if a patient has moderate to heavy alcohol ingestion with active hepatitis C or has other chronic liver diseases,” says Dr. Patel.
Causes and Transmissions of Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is transmitted exclusively through contact with the infected blood or certain bodily fluids of a person suffering from hepatitis C. There are many common hepatitis C causes and ways it can be spread:
- Sharing drug needles with an infected person
- Being pricked by an infected needle
- Being tattooed or pierced by an unsterilized needle used on an infected person
- Using an infected person’s razor blade, toothbrush, or nail clippers
- Being born to a mother who has the hepatitis C virus
While not as common, in some cases hepatitis C transmission can occur by having unprotected sex with an infected person. You cannot contract HCV through everyday physical contact, hugging, kissing or cold symptoms, such as coughing.
According to the Mayo Clinic, a person may also be at risk of HCV if he or she had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992. In 1992, doctors began implementing a test to determine whether blood used in transfusions and transplants was infected with the hepatitis C virus.
Diagnosis and Testing of Hepatitis C
Early detection can make the difference between an easily treatable infection and a chronic liver disease. Because so many people are symptomless and unaware of their infection, it’s important to get hepatitis C testing.
As of 2020, the CDC recommends universal hepatitis C testing for all adults over the age of 18 and for all pregnant women during each pregnancy. Otherwise, a person should be tested if they have engaged in any of the potential transmissive behaviors listed above.
When testing for HCV, your doctor will do a blood screening test to see if your blood contains HCV antibodies. These antibodies confirm for your physician that you were at one point exposed to the hepatitis C virus. (While this means you were at one point exposed, it doesn’t mean that you currently have the virus.)
If a person tests positive for HCV antibodies, a doctor will run a secondary test to see if the virus is still within your blood. This is called a qualitative nucleic acid test (NAT) for HCV RNA.
If the NAT for HCV RNA test is negative, it means you were once infected with the virus but no longer have it. If the results are positive, it means you currently have HCV.
A doctor may also recommend a liver biopsy to determine the severity of the disease and guide treatment options. If a doctor diagnoses you with HCV, he or she will likely refer you to an infectious disease specialist or a liver specialist (hepatologist).
Hepatitis C Treatment Options
Luckily, hepatitis C can be cured, and researchers are continually developing new methods of hepatitis C treatment. Most people who are treated for hepatitis C will take antiviral medications to remove the virus from their body. The treatment is considered successful if there is still no HCV within the body for at least 12 weeks after treatment has ended, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Other medications, labeled as ‘direct-acting’ have less side effects and shorter treatment periods. The exact hepatitis C treatment style and medications used will vary patient to patient based on the severity of the illness, other medical conditions, and past treatments.
Doctors are still researching better treatments for hepatitis C, so treatment styles may change quickly. It’s best to discuss treatment options with your doctor to have the most up-to-date and applicable treatment information.
In some instances, there may be so much damage to the liver that the patient requires a liver transplant. This alone will not cure HVC, so the antiviral medications will still be necessary to get rid of the infection.
As mentioned previously, there is currently no vaccination for hepatitis C; however, some doctors may recommend getting the vaccination for hepatitis A and B as these illnesses could worsen the effects of hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C Prevention
Because there is no vaccine available for hepatitis C, the best way to prevent the illness is by eliminating behaviors that put you at risk of being exposed to the virus. Particularly, it is important to avoid injecting drugs with non-sterile equipment, as this is the number one way HVC is spread in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
While the risk of contracting HVC while having sex is lower, it is not impossible. The Mayo Clinic states that long-term, monogamous partners don’t need to use condoms to prevent the spread of HVC unless performing anal sex, having sex during menstruation, or if one of the partners has HIV, all of which contribute to a higher risk of spreading the virus.
Hepatitis C Prevention
If you think you may have HCV, it’s important to consult your primary caregiver. If you don’t currently have a doctor, you can learn how to choose a doctor with these tips from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
If you have hepatitis C, you are not alone. Millions of people are living with hepatitis C and are recovering every day. To find a HCV support group in Chattanooga, visit www.liverfoundation.org.
Or, for professional support, you can contact a licensed counselor.
