Hepatitis C Is Caused By

Could I Give Hepatitis C To Someone Else

Yes, once you have hepatitis C, you can always give it to someone else. If you have hepatitis C, you cannot donate blood. You should avoid sharing personal items like razors and toothbrushes. It is very rare to pass hepatitis C in these ways, but it can happen. Always use a condom when you have sex. If you have hepatitis C, your sexual partners should be tested to see if they also have it.

Talk to your doctor first if you want to have children. The virus isnt spread easily from a mother to her unborn baby. But it is possible, so you need to take precautions. However, if youre trying to have a baby, do not have sex during your menstrual cycle. The hepatitis C virus spreads more easily in menstrual blood.

Natural Treatment For Viral Hepatitis

Hepatitis c is a long-standing problem in China and other parts of Asia, and other countries.

The traditional Chinese herbal combination of Shosaiko-to has been approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health for the treatment of chronic hepatitis.

In this 24-week trial, the Shosaiko-to was trying out in 222 people with chronic active hepatitis. using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design.

The results show that the use of Shosaiko-improved the liver function indicators, in comparison with placebo.

While these results are promising, the lack of a long-term assessment in so far as they are meaningful.

Prevention Of Hepatitis C

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine available to prevent hepatitis C. to reduce the risk of contracting viral hepatitis C.

Parenteral administration of the drug, the most common way to get hepatitis c. Injection of the drug should be avoided to reduce the risk. If you are injecting drugs, use sterile syringes. Please avoid using it again or pass it on.

Avoid sharing personal care items that might have blood on them .

If you are a health care or public safety worker, follow universal blood/body fluid precautions.

Handle needles and other sharp items safely and securely.

Tattoo, body piercing, or acupuncture for the products must sterilize.

If you are having sex with multiple partners, use condoms properly.

Each time, to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, such as hepatitis.

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What If I’m Pregnant And I Have Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C can be passed from a mother to her child during pregnancy and during delivery. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , approximately 6 of every 100 infants born to HCV-infected mothers become infected with the virus. The risk is two to three times greater when the mother has HIV as well.

You and your doctor should discuss and decide if you should receive treatment for hepatitis C during your pregnancy.

What Is Acute Fulminant Hepatitis

Rarely, individuals with acute infections with HAV and HBV develop severe inflammation, and the liver fails . These patients are extremely ill with the symptoms of acute hepatitis already described and the additional problems of confusion or coma , as well as bruising or bleeding . In fact, up to 80% of people with acute fulminant hepatitis can die within days to weeks therefore, it is fortunate that acute fulminant hepatitis is rare. For example, less than 0.5% of adults with acute infection with HBV will develop acute fulminant hepatitis. This is even less common with HCV alone, although it becomes more frequent when both HBV and HCV are present together.

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How Is Hepatitis C Diagnosed

The doctor will take the patients medical history and perform a physical examination. As part of the physical exam, the doctor will look for signs of liver damage, including tenderness in the abdomen, swelling in the legs, feet or ankles, or signs of jaundice, such as yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes.

Several blood tests may be used to test for hepatitis C. The first blood test is antibody testing for hepatitis C.

If antibodies are found, that means that the person was exposed to hepatitis C at some point. A blood test called a PCR RNA can determine if the blood is still infected with the active virus. If the result is positive, it means that the person is currently infected with hepatitis C. If the PCR RNA is negative but the antibody testing was positive, this means that the patient has been exposed to the virus in the past but currently does not have an active infection.

A person who has hepatitis C may have to have a liver biopsy or a liver fibrosis scan to tell if the liver is damaged, and how much damage has occurred.

You should be referred to a specialist who has experience in treating hepatitis C as soon as you are diagnosed with active hepatitis C infection.

How Can I Protect Myself From Hepatitis C Infection

If you dont have hepatitis C, you can help protect yourself from hepatitis C infection by

• not sharing drug needles or other drug materials
• wearing gloves if you have to touch another persons blood or open sores
• making sure your tattoo artist or body piercer uses sterile tools and unopened ink
• not sharing personal items such toothbrushes, razors, or nail clippers

Hepatitis C can spread from person to person during sex, but the chances are low. People who have multiple sex partners, have HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases, or who engage in rough or anal sex have a higher chance of getting hepatitis C. Talk with your doctor about your risk of getting hepatitis C through sex and about safe sex practices, such as using a latex or polyurethane condom to help prevent the spread of hepatitis C.

If you had hepatitis C in the past and your body fought off the infection or medicines cured the infection, you can get hepatitis C again. Follow the steps above, and talk with your doctor about how to protect yourself from another hepatitis C infection.

If you think you may have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus, see your doctor as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent liver damage.

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What Other Tests Diagnose Hepatitis C

Once the diagnosis of hepatitis C is established, other tests may be done to determine whether the patient has developed liver fibrosis or scarring . This can be done with a needle biopsy of the liver, and examining the biopsied liver tissue under the microscope. Liver biopsy is less commonly done today because noninvasive tests are more readily available, more easily accomplished and less costly.

Liver imaging can evaluate fibrosis using ultrasound and MRI scans. Additionally, calculations using a variety of blood tests also can predict the degree of inflammation and fibrosis present. Genotype testing will typically be done to determine what subtype of hepatitis C the patient has, as this will impact what drugs are used for treatment. Testing for other infections including HIV, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B is typically done to determine if the patient might have other conditions that could impact patient’s treatment and prognosis.

With the newest forms of antiviral treatment, the most common types of chronic hepatitis C can be cured in most individuals.

Treatment And Medication For Hepatitis C

If you have acute hepatitis C, there is no recommended treatment. If your hepatitis C turns into a chronic hepatitis C infection, there are several medications available.

Interferon, peginterferon, and ribavirin used to be the main treatments for hepatitis C. They can have side effects like fatigue, flu-like symptoms, anemia, skin rash, mild anxiety, depression, nausea, and diarrhea.

Now youâre more likely to get one of these medications:

Find out more on treatment options for hepatitis C.

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Who Gets Hepatitis C

Persons at highest risk for HCV infection include:

• persons who ever injected illegal drugs, including those who injected once or a few times many years ago,
• people who had blood transfusions, blood products or organ donations before June 1992, when sensitive tests for HCV were introduced for blood screening, and
• persons who received clotting factors made before 1987.

Other persons at risk for hepatitis C include:

• long-term kidney dialysis patients,
• health care workers after exposures to the blood of an infected person while on the job,
• infants born to HCV-infected mothers,
• people with high-risk sexual behavior, multiple partners and sexually transmitted diseases,
• people who snort cocaine using shared equipment, and
• people who have shared toothbrushes, razors and other personal items with a family member who is HCV-infected.

How Should I Take Care Of Myself If I Have Hepatitis C

Good health habits are essential for those who have hepatitis C. You should especially avoid alcohol and medicines and drugs that can put stress on the liver. You should eat a healthy diet and start exercising regularly. Your family doctor can help you plan a diet that is healthy and practical.

Talk to your doctor about any medicines that you are taking, including over-the-counter medicine. Many medicines, including acetaminophen , are broken down by the liver. Because of this, they may increase the speed of liver damage. You should also limit alcohol use. It speeds the progression of liver diseases like hepatitis C. An occasional alcoholic drink may be okay, but check with your doctor first.

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Living With Hepatitis C Infection

Many people are living with hepatitis C. If you have hepatitis C, there are several important things that you can do to help yourself and others such as:

• Eat a healthy diet and get plenty of rest.
• To avoid further liver damage:
• Do not drink alcohol.
• Do not take medicine that can cause liver damage .
• Get vaccinated against hepatitis A & B if you are not already immune.
• Do not to pass the infection to anyone else by taking the following precautions, such as:
• Do not share toothbrushes or razors with others.
• Do not to let anyone else come into contact with your blood, urine or feces.
• Use condoms during sexual activity.
• Limit the number of sex partners you have.
• If you use injection drugs, do not share needles or syringes with anyone else.
• It is best to not get tattoos or body piercings.

Although often uncomfortable, you should notify your partner of your hepatitis C prior to having sex. You also must notify all your health care professionals of your infection, so they can take precautions.

How Is Hepatitis C Treated

There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. The aim of treatment for hepatitis C is to eradicate the virus from the blood completely, and to protect the liver from developing cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Several medications are available to treat hepatitis C. The hepatitis C virus has six different types or strains . The type and length of treatment may vary. Some hepatitis strains do not respond to antiviral medications as well as others. Some medications may not be suitable for all patients with hepatitis C, because of the side effects or the patients other medical conditions.

These are the medications approved for treatment of hepatitis C infection:

• Sofosbuvir : Tablet taken once a day. Used in combination with other antiviral drugs.
• Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir : Pill taken once a day for 12 to 24 weeks, depending on how serious the disease is.
• Simeprevir : Capsule taken once a day with other medications called peginterferon alfa and ribavirin
• Combination of paritaprevir/ombitasvir/ritonavir/dasabuvir
• Daclatasvir : Used in combination with other drugs
• Elbasvir/grazoprevir : Tablet taken once a day
• Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir : Tablet taken once a day
• Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir : Three pills a day in one dose
• Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir : Tablet taken once a day
• Ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir : Two tablets once a day in the morning, in combination with ribavirin

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Hepatitis Va Injustice Or Ignorance

The VA states theres no proof of Hep C caused by Jet Guns, only that it is biologically plausible. Am I proof? At 17 years old and only 10 months in the service I was quarantined and medically treated for hepatitis unknown virus non-a non-b in a military hospital. My first 10 months in the Army I went through boot camp and MOS training. I received Jet Gun vaccine exposures on 2 different occasions. My arm was punctured several times from an uncleaned, reused, puncture device that was shared with others, the Military Jet Gun Vaccinator. There is not one mode of transmission on the VAs list that applied to me when I became ill with hepatitis virus unknown. The Military Jet Gun vaccinator is not acknowledged by the VA as a mode of transmission.

In April 1977 I entered the Army at Fort Jackson, SC. We were assembled with our sleeves rolled up and moved with the line, to receive our military vaccines, given by the infamous vaccine Hep Gun Injectors / Jet Gun Infectors formally known as Jet Gun Injectors. I received several the day I got my head shaved and a shitload again before going overseas to Germany.

I had my first encounter with VA when I applied for VA care to treat my hepatitis, but was told I wasnt service connected and I had made to much money at my factory job to qualify for VA care. I was denied Hepatitis C care or treatment by the VA in 2003.

es/ ELIZABETH W. MEASEPHYSICIAN

Diagnosis Of Hepatitis C

If you are at risk of hepatitis C infection, or think you may have been exposed to hepatitis C in the past, see your doctor for an assessment of your liver health. This will include blood tests and possibly a non-invasive test for liver damage .

There are 2 blood tests used to diagnose hepatitis C. Usually these can be done at the same time but sometimes they will be done separately.

The first test known as a hepatitis C antibody test can tell you whether you have ever been exposed to hepatitis C.

It may take 2 to 3 months from the time of infection until a blood test can detect antibodies to hepatitis C, so there is a window period during which you cannot tell if you are or have been infected. In this time, take precautions to prevent the potential spread of the virus.

The second test is called hepatitis C PCR, which will be done if the antibody test is positive. This determines if the virus is still present in your blood or liver or if you have already cleared the infection.

If you have cleared the virus or had successful treatment to cure it, the PCR test will be negative.

A liver ultrasound or Fibroscan can also be performed to assess if you have any liver damage.

If your doctor is inexperienced in diagnosing hepatitis C you can call the LiverLine on for information, and to find a GP who can help you.

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How Can I Prevent Spreading Hepatitis C To Others

If you have hepatitis C, follow the steps above to avoid spreading the infection. Tell your sex partner you have hepatitis C, and talk with your doctor about safe sex practices. In addition, you can protect others from infection by telling your doctor, dentist, and other health care providers that you have hepatitis C. Dont donate blood or blood products, semen, organs, or tissue.

Hepatitis C: Symptoms Causes And Treatment

Health Check Certified By: Dr. Gerald Morris

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver damage. Its spread through contaminated blood. Its estimated that about 3.9 million Americans suffer from the hepatitis C virus , according to WebMD. And even though this disease is now curable if treated with medication, it also unfortunately exhibits very few symptoms, which means people dont realize they have it until more serious damage is done to their bodies.

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Youve probably heard of hepatitis A and B, because we have vaccines to protect ourselves from these infections. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine to protect us from hepatitis C, and the virus is highly contagious, says Healthline. Researchers continue to work towards creating a vaccine.

To stop this virus from spreading and to protect ourselves, we need to get better informed on the topic. This article dives into everything there is to know about hepatitis C, including the symptoms, causes, risk factors, and available treatments.

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How Does Hepatitis C Affect The Liver

When infected, the liver becomes inflamed, which may cause the healthy, soft tissues in the liver to harden and scar. If not stopped, inflammation and scarring can lead to serious liver diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver or liver tumors. If the damage is severe enough, the liver may not perform all of its functions normally.

What Drugs Treat And Cure Hepatitis C

The treatment of chronic hepatitis C has gone through several generations of medications. Not long ago, treatment was limited to interferon alpha-2b or pegylated interferon alpha-2b , and ribavirin . Interferon and pegylated interferon need to be injected under the skin , while ribavirin is taken by mouth. This combination therapy is infrequently used today, being recommended for only the least common genotypes of hepatitis C virus .

Since 2010, direct-acting antiviral drugs have been in use. The second generation of antivirals for HCV was the protease inhibitors telaprevir and boceprevir , both taken by mouth. These were used in combination with the earlier drugs to increase effectiveness . These drugs are also no longer in common use, and have been replaced by better options.

As more has been learned about how hepatitis C virus multiplies within the liver cells, new drugs continue to be developed to interfere with this multiplication at different stages. As such, we no longer think in terms of generations of drugs, but rather categories of action. Research and development of these direct-acting antivirals continue, with new agents coming to market every few months. Each category is improved and expanded by the addition of new drugs, which are safer and more effective.

Currently available and commonly used direct-acting antiviral drugs include:

• simeprevir

• Muscle aches

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