| SIGNS
& SYMPTOMS |
80%
of persons have no signs or symptoms. |
- jaundice
- fatigue
- dark
urine
|
- abdominal
pain
- loss
of appetite
- nausea
|
| CAUSE |
|
| LONG-TERM
EFFECTS |
- Chronic
infection: 75-85% of infected persons
- Chronic
liver disease: 70% of chronically infected persons
- Deaths
from chronic liver disease: <3%
- Leading
indication for liver transplant
|
TRANSMISSION
Recommendations for testing
based on risk for HCV infection |
-
Occurs
when blood or body fluids from an infected person enters
the body of a person who is not infected.
-
HCV
is spread through sharing needles or "works" when
"shooting" drugs, through needlesticks or sharps
exposures on the job, or from an infected mother to her
baby during birth.
Persons
at risk for HCV infection might also be at risk for infection
with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or HIV.
Recommendations
for Testing Based on Risk for HCV Infection
| PERSONS
|
RISK
OF INFECTION |
TESTING
RECOMMENDED? |
| Injecting
drug users |
High |
Yes |
| Recipients
of clotting factors made before 1987 |
High |
Yes |
| Hemodialysis
patients |
Intermediate |
Yes |
|
Recipients
of blood and/or solid organs before 1992 |
Intermediate |
Yes |
| People
with undiagnosed liver problems |
Intermediate |
Yes |
| Infants
born to infected mothers |
Intermediate |
After
12-18 mos. old |
| Healthcare/public
safety workers |
Low |
Only
after known exposure |
| People
having sex with multiple partners |
Low |
No* |
| People
having sex with an infected steady partner |
Low |
No* |
*Anyone
who wants to get tested should ask their doctor. |
| PREVENTION |
- There
is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C.
- Do
not shoot drugs; if you shoot drugs, stop and get into a treatment
program; if you can't stop, never share needles, syringes, water,
or "works", and get vaccinated against hepatitis A & B.
- Do
not share personal care items that might have blood on them
(razors, toothbrushes).
- If
you are a health care or public safety worker, always follow
routine barrier precautions and safely handle needles and other
sharps; get vaccinated against hepatitis B.
- Consider
the risks if you are thinking about getting a tattoo or body
piercing. You might get infected if the tools have someone else's
blood on them or if the artist or piercer does not follow good
health practices.
- HCV
can be spread by sex, but this is rare. If you are having sex
with more than one steady sex partner, use latex condoms* correctly
and every time to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted
diseases. You should also get vaccinated against hepatitis B.
- If
you are HCV positive, do not donate blood, organs, or tissue.
|
| TREATMENT
& MEDICAL MANAGEMENT
|
- HCV
positive persons should be evaluated by their doctor for liver
disease.
- Interferon
and ribavirin are two drugs licensed for the treatment of persons
with chronic hepatitis C.
- Interferon
can be taken alone or in combination with ribavirin. Combination
therapy, using pegylated interferon and ribavirin, is currently
the treatment of choice.
- Combination
therapy can get rid of the virus in up to 5 out of 10 persons
for genotype 1 and in up to 8 out of 10 persons for genotype
2 and 3.
- Drinking
alcohol can make your liver disease worse.
|
| STATISTICS
& TRENDS |
- Number of new infections per
year has declined from an average of 240,000 in the 1980s to
about 25,000 in 2001.
- Most infections are due to
illegal injection drug use.
- Transfusion-associated cases
occurred prior to blood donor screening; now occurs in less
than one per million transfused unit of blood.
- Estimated 3.9 million (1.8%)
Americans have been infected with HCV, of whom 2.7 million are
chronically infected.
|
