Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver caused by a virus. This virus spreads when blood or body fluids from an infected person enter another person's body. This can happen when people share needles, razor blades, or toothbrushes. It can also spread through sex.
The virus doesn't always cause symptoms. But you may feel tired. And you may have a headache, sore muscles, nausea, and pain in the upper right belly. Other symptoms include yellowish skin and dark urine. Home treatment can help ease symptoms. And your doctor may prescribe antiviral medicine.
Long-term infection can lead to severe liver damage. So make sure to go to your follow-up appointments.
Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. Most people get it by sharing needles or being exposed to infected blood. Over time, it can lead to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), liver cancer, or liver failure.
Some people who get hepatitis C have it for a short time (acute infection) and then get better.
But most people get long-term, or chronic, infection. This can lead to liver damage.
Long-term hepatitis C often causes tiny scars in your liver. If you have a lot of scars, it becomes hard for your liver to work well. Over time, some people have more serious problems such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Most people who are infected with hepatitis C—even people who have been infected for a while—usually don't have symptoms.
If symptoms do develop, they may include:
Most people go on to develop chronic hepatitis C but still don't have symptoms. This makes it common for people to have hepatitis C for 15 years or longer before it is diagnosed.
Medicines may be given for short-term (acute) hepatitis C. They are also used to treat a long-term (chronic) infection. Treatment may also help prevent liver problems. These include cirrhosis and liver cancer.
There is no vaccine to prevent the disease. Anyone who has hepatitis C can spread the virus to someone else. You can take steps to make infection less likely.
If your doctor thinks that you may have hepatitis C, he or she will:
Your doctor may order:
If you have a hepatitis C virus test, you may also get tested for HIV.
Antiviral medicines are used to treat hepatitis C.
Current treatments for hepatitis C are very good at permanently lowering the amount of virus in the blood, and they almost always work. But they may cost a lot.
Follow your doctor's advice about getting your baby tested for hepatitis C. Breastfeed if you can. Make sure your baby gets all the recommended childhood vaccines. Avoid spreading the virus to others. Keep any cuts, scrapes, or blisters covered. Don't share nail clippers, razors, toothbrushes, or any items that may have blood on them.
Hepatitis C is spread by contact with an infected person's blood. In the United States, most people get it by sharing needles and other equipment used to inject or snort illegal drugs.
Less often, it's spread by:
If someone has hepatitis C during pregnancy, they might spread it to their baby before or during delivery.
It isn't spread through breast milk, sharing food or drink, or casual contact like hugging.
Many people who are infected with the hepatitis C virus will develop long-term (chronic) infection. Some people who have chronic hepatitis C will go on to develop cirrhosis—severe liver damage and scarring—after a period of about 20 years or more.
Certain factors may affect how quickly problems such as cirrhosis or liver cancer develop.
The way cirrhosis develops depends on:
Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver. It's caused by a virus. Sometimes it's a short-term (acute) infection that goes away without treatment. But more often, it becomes a long-term (chronic) infection. It can damage the liver and lead to serious disease. Treatment can usually cure hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus. It is spread by contact with an infected person's blood. The most common way to get hepatitis C is by sharing needles and other equipment used to inject illegal drugs. You can't get it from casual contact like hugging, kissing, or sharing food or drink.
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