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Hepatitis C

What is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis pronounced - HEP-ah-TY-tis.

Hepatitis C is a liver disease.

Hepatitis makes your liver swell and stops it from working right.

You need a healthy liver. The liver does many things to keep you alive. The liver fights infections and stops bleeding. It removes drugs and other poisons from your blood. The liver also stores energy for when you need it.

Causes of Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is caused by a virus. A virus is a germ that causes sickness. For example, the flu is caused by a virus. People can pass viruses to each other. The virus that causes hepatitis C is called the hepatitis C virus.

How Hepatitis C Spreads

Hepatitis C is spread by contact with an infected person's blood. You could get hepatitis C by:

• Sharing drug needles
• Getting pricked with a needle that has infected blood on it - hospital workers can get hepatitis C this way
• Having sex with an infected person, especially if you or your partner has other sexually transmitted diseases
• Being born to a mother with hepatitis C
• In rare cases, you could get hepatitis C by getting a tattoo or body piercing with unsterilized, dirty tools

You can NOT get hepatitis C by:

• Shaking hands with an infected person
• Hugging an infected person
• Kissing an infected person
• Sitting next to an infected person

Can You Get Hepatitis C From a Blood Transfusion?

If you had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992, you might have hepatitis C.

Before 1992, doctors could not check blood for hepatitis C, and some people received infected blood. If you had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992, ask a doctor to test you for hepatitis C.

Symptoms of Hepatitis C

Many people with hepatitis C don't have symptoms. However, some people with hepatitis C feel like they have the flu. You might:

• Feel tired
• Feel sick to your stomach
• Have a fever
• Not want to eat
• Have stomach pain
• Have diarrhea

Some people have:

• Dark yellow urine
• Light-colored stools
• Yellowish eyes and skin

If you have symptoms or think you might have hepatitis C, go to a doctor.

Tests for Hepatitis C

To check for hepatitis C, the doctor will test your blood. These tests show if you have hepatitis C and how serious it is.

The doctor may also do a liver biopsy. A biopsy (BYE-op-see) is a simple test. The doctor removes a tiny piece of your liver through a needle. The doctor checks the piece of liver for signs of hepatitis C and liver damage.

Treatment for Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is treated with a drug called peginterferon, usually in combination with the drug ribavirin.

You may need surgery if you have hepatitis C for many years. Over time, hepatitis C can cause your liver to stop working. If that happens, you will need a new liver. The surgery is called a liver transplant. It involves taking out the old, damaged liver and putting in a new, healthy one from a donor.

Protect Yourself From Hepatitis C

You can protect yourself and others from hepatitis C:

• If you inject drugs, use your own needles. Don't share drug needles with anyone.
• Wear gloves if you have to touch anyone's blood.
• If you have several sex partners, use a condom during sex.
• Don't use an infected person's toothbrush, razor, or anything else that could have blood on it.
• If you get a tattoo or body piercing, make sure it is done with clean tools.
• If you have hepatitis C, don't give your blood or plasma. The person who receives it could become infected with the virus.

Other Types of Hepatitis

Hepatitis has the following forms:

• Autoimmune Hepatitis - Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease in which the body's immune system attacks liver cells. This immune response causes inflammation of the liver, also called hepatitis.
• Hepatitis A - A virus most often spread by unclean food and water.
• Hepatitis B - A virus commonly spread by sexual intercourse or blood transfusion, or from mother to newborn at birth. Another way it spreads is by using a needle that was used by an infected person. Hepatitis B is more common and much more easily spread than the AIDS virus and may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
• Hepatitis C - A virus spread by blood transfusion and possibly by sexual intercourse or sharing needles with infected people. Hepatitis C may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Hepatitis C used to be called non-A, non-B hepatitis.
• Hepatitis D - Delta Agent - Delta agent is a type of virus that occurs mostly in people who take illegal drugs by using needles. Only people who have hepatitis B can get hepatitis D
• Hepatitis E - A virus spread mostly through unclean water. This type of hepatitis is common in developing countries. It has not occurred in the United States.

Other Causes of Hepatitis

Some cases of viral hepatitis cannot be attributed to the hepatitis A, B, C, D, or E viruses, or even the less common viruses that can infect the liver, such as:

• Cytomegalovirus
• Epstein-Barr virus, also called infectious mononucleosis
• Herpesvirus
• Parvovirus
• Adenovirus

These cases are called non-A-E hepatitis. Scientists continue to study the causes of non-A-E hepatitis.

Definitions For This Page - In Alphabetical Order

* Cirrhosis
Pronounced - suh-ROH-sis
Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver. Scar tissue forms because of injury or long term disease. Cirrhosis has many causes. In the United States, the most common causes are chronic alcoholism and hepatitis. Nothing will make the scar tissue disappear, but treating the cause can keep it from getting worse. If too much scar tissue forms, you may need to consider a liver transplant. More about Cirrhosis.

For More Information About Hepatitis C

American Liver Foundation (ALF)
75 Maiden Lane, Suite 603
New York, NY
Phone: GO-Liver
4HEP-USA , or
Fax:
Email:
Internet: www.liverfoundation.org

Hepatitis Foundation International (HFI)
504 Blick Drive
Silver Spring, MD
Phone: or
Fax:
Email:
Internet: www.hepfi.org

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)e
2 Information Way
Bethesda, MD
Phone:
TTY:
Fax:
Email:
Internet: www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov

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References:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)
May 2004
digestive.niddk.nih.gov

The information discussed above is a general overview and does not include all the facts, or include everything there is to know about any medicine and/or products mentioned. Do not use any medicine and/or products without first talking to your doctor. Possible side effects of medications, other than those listed, may occur. Other brand names or generic forms of this medicine may also be available. If you have questions or concerns, or want more information, your doctor or pharmacist has the complete prescribing information about this medicine and possible drug interactions.