﻿ Hepatitis C: Symptoms, Preventions and Treatments

Hepatitis C: Symptoms, Preventions and Treatments

Hepatitis C: Symptoms

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus. Today, most people become infected with the Hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. For some people, hepatitis C is a short-term illness but for 70%–85% of people who become infected with Hepatitis C, it becomes a long-term, chronic infection. Chronic Hepatitis C is a serious disease than can result in long-term health problems, even death. The majority of infected persons might not be aware of their infection because they are not clinically ill. There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C. The best way to prevent Hepatitis C is by avoiding behaviors that can spread the disease, especially injecting drugs.

Causes of Hepatitis



  • After a needle stick or sharps injury

People at risk of hepatitis C are those who:

  • Have been on long-term kidney dialysis
  • Have unprotected sexual contact with a person who has hepatitis C
  • Were born to a mother who had hepatitis C
  • Received an organ transplant from a donor who has hepatitis C

What are the symptoms?

When you have just become infected with the hepatitis C virus, you may have no symptoms and may not even know you have been infected. This is the acute infection phase and can last from six to eight weeks, or longer. If you have symptoms, they are usually mild and may include fatigue, lethargy, nausea, reduced appetite, abdominal pain and jaundice.

Over time, the virus may disappear on its own, and you are no longer infected. This happens to approximately 25 out of 100 hepatitis C-infected people. If the virus does not disappear after six months, your infection is chronic. This happens to approximately 75 out of 100 hepatitis C-infected people.

If your hepatitis C is chronic, in three out of four cases, you will have only very mild to moderate damage to your liver over time.  However, in one out of four cases, chronic hepatitis C can lead to more serious problems including cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer over a period of 25 to 30 years.

You are more likely to develop cirrhosis if you drink alcohol, are obese, are male, became infected after age 40, have another type of liver disease or have another chronic infection, such as HIV or hepatitis B in addition to hepatitis C.





  • Provide a much improved cure rate
  • Have fewer side effects and are easier to take
  • Are taken by mouth for 12 to 24 weeks



If you have hepatitis C:
