What is hepatitis C?

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hepatitis-c/basics/definition/con-20030618Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus. The infection can be either acute or chronic, lasting weeks to a lifetime. Most people with hepatitis C show no symptoms, even decades after having the infection.

Symptoms of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) can include fatigue, fever, joint pain, dark-colored urine, jaundice, vomiting, abdominal pain, and nausea. Seventy percent to 80% of people infected with HCV, however, do not show any symptoms. Doctors can use a blood test to confirm HCV by identifying whether a patient has HCV antibodies.

On average, those infected with HCV who are symptomatic will start developing indications 6 weeks to 7 weeks after infection, but symptoms can show as early as 2 weeks or as late as 6 months after infection. Long-term effects of HCV include chronic infection in 75% to 85% of cases, chronic liver disease in 60% to 70% of cases, cirrhosis of the liver in 5% to 20% of cases, and mortality in 1% to 5% of cases.

HCV is passed from one person to another through contaminated blood. The most common way is through intravenous drug use, but it also can be passed through sexual contact with an infected person. Hemodialysis patients, people who have more than one sexual partner, health care workers, and children born from an infected mother are at increased risk for HCV.

There is currently no treatment for HCV, but vaccines are currently being developed. Doctors typically prescribe a combination of interferon/pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Prevention measures for HCV include using latex condoms, not sharing needles, and not sharing personal items with an infected person, such as a toothbrush, razor or nail clippers.

References:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hepatitis-c/basics/definition/con-20030618

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/viralhepatitis/#hepc

http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/c/cfaq.htm