Hepatitis C is a highly infectious blood borne virus that can cause damage to the liver, resulting in scarring of liver tissue.
If left untreated hepatitis C is potentially fatal.
For many people, the first time they realise they are infected with hepatitis C can be 10-15 years after initial infection when damage to the liver becomes apparent. The rate of disease progression is unique to each individual with some unfortunately developing cirrhosis (severe scarring of the liver), liver cancer and possibly requiring liver transplantation.
Signs and symptoms of hepatitis C Many people infected with hepatitis C do not have any symptoms following initial infection. For others an initial flu-like illness may be experienced. Symptoms may vary in severity and can include:
• Tiredness; • Aches and pains; • Fever; • Loss of appetite; • Weight loss; • Nausea and sickness; • Stomach ache; • Diarrhoea.
Transmission and prevention of hepatitis C The hepatitis C virus is present in body fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, menstrual blood and breast milk. The main routes for transmission of the virus are:
• Sharing needles, syringes or other drug paraphernalia (including filters, spoons and water) with someone who is infected; • Sharing drug snorting equipment e.g. cocaine straws; • Tattooing and/or piercing with equipment that has not been properly sterilised; • From donated blood, blood products or organ transplants in countries where screening is not undertaken or in the UK prior to 1991; • During vaginal, anal or oral sex with an infected person; • A needle stick injury involving infected blood; • Sharing razors, hair clippers or toothbrushes; • A hepatitis C-positive mother to her baby during pregnancy, delivery or while breastfeeding.
There are a number of ways to reduce the risk of transmitting the hepatitis C virus. They include:
• Never sharing injecting equipment, e.g. needles, syringes or other drug paraphernalia (including filters, spoons and water) with someone who is infected; • Never re-using needles or injecting equipment; • Never sharing drug snorting equipment e.g. cocaine straws; • Ensuring any equipment used for tattooing and/or piercing is new and/or properly sterilised; • Ensuring any donated blood, blood products or organs are screened for hepatitis C; • Always using an appropriate male or female condom for vaginal, anal and oral sex; • Taking appropriate precautions to reduce risk of needle stick injury e.g. wearing gloves; • Not sharing razors, hair clippers and toothbrushes; • Not donating breast milk.
Treatment for hepatitis C For those people who experience an acute hepatitis C infection, treatment will not be necessary.
For the 80% who develop a chronic infection, treatment is not essential until some damage to the liver has occurred. Tests that measure liver function are used to monitor disease progression. These, together with liver biopsy results, will indicate the appropriate time to initiate treatment.
The current recommended treatment for hepatitis C is a combination of interferon alpha and ribavirin. Pegylated interferon is self-administered by injection once a week. Ribavirin is a tablet or capsule, taken twice daily for the duration of the interferon treatment. The course of treatment runs for 24 or 48 weeks depending on your genotype.
