Friday, March 22, 2024

What Are The Symptoms To Hepatitis C

Potential Complications Of Hepatitis C

Symptoms of Hepatitis C – Dr. Paul Thuluvath – Mercy

Chronic hepatitis C infection is a long-lasting illness with potentially serious complications. About 75% to 85% of those with acute hepatitis C infection go on to develop chronic illness. Of those in the chronic illness group, more than two-thirds will develop liver disease. Up to 20% will develop cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, within 20 to 30 years. Cirrhosis affects liver function and causes elevated blood liver enzymes. Up to 5% of people with chronic hepatitis C infection will die from liver cancer or cirrhosis. Chronic hepatitis C infection is the most common reason for liver transplantation in the U.S.

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.

How Is Hepatitis C Diagnosed

Since it can be difficult to tell, based on symptoms, whether you have contracted hepatitis C, you can be tested for it. A simple blood test can confirm whether you have the condition.

After your doctor gets the results of your blood test, they may recommend that you undergo a biopsy of your liver to determine if you have liver damage from chronic hepatitis C.

You can book an appointment with a primary care doctor in your area using our Healthline FindCare tool.

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Hepatitis C And Injecting Drugs

If you inject drugs, avoid sharing needles, syringes or other equipment such as tourniquets, spoons, swabs or water.

Where possible, always use sterile needles and syringes. These are available free of charge from needle and syringe programs and some pharmacists. To find out where you can obtain free needles, syringes and other injecting equipment, contact DirectLine

Try to wash your hands before and after injecting. If you cant do this, use hand sanitiser or alcohol swabs from a needle and syringe program service.

Who Is More Likely To Get Hepatitis C

CDC recommends hepatitis C testing all baby boomers

People more likely to get hepatitis C are those who

  • have injected drugs
  • had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992
  • have hemophilia and received clotting factor before 1987
  • have been on kidney dialysis
  • have been in contact with blood or infected needles at work
  • have had tattoos or body piercings
  • have worked or lived in a prison
  • were born to a mother with hepatitis C
  • are infected with HIV
  • have had more than one sex partner in the last 6 months or have a history of sexually transmitted disease
  • are men who have or had sex with men

In the United States, injecting drugs is the most common way that people get hepatitis C.13

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Cost Of Hepatitis C Medicines

The newer direct-acting antiviral medicines for hepatitis C can be costly. Most government and private health insurance prescription drug plans provide some coverage for these medicines. Talk with your doctor about your health insurance coverage for hepatitis C medicines.

Drug companies, nonprofit organizations, and some states offer programs that can help pay for hepatitis C medicines. If you need help paying for medicines, talk with your doctor. Learn more about financial help for hepatitis C medicines.

What Are The Risk Factors For Hepatitis C

In the United States, having been born between 1945 and 1965, and the use of illicit injection drugs are the two most common factors associated with hepatitis C. Other risk factors include

  • having received blood transfusions prior to 1990,
  • hemodialysis, and
  • having greater than 10-lifetime sex partners.

Population studies show that hepatitis C is more common among males, non-Hispanic blacks, those with low income, and those with less than a high school education.

People who have HIV/AIDS have an increased risk for hepatitis C, because both these diseases are transmitted in the same ways, through blood and body fluids. If someone has both infections, that person is said to be co-infected with HIV and HCV.

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Should You Get Screened For Hepatitis C

Its important that the hepatitis C virus be detected early and that people who have it get treatment. Every person born between 1945 and 1965 the baby boomers should be tested for hepatitis C at least once, the CDC advises baby boomers are five times more likely to have this virus than other adults.

But since any signs and symptoms of this illness vary widely, and can change with the stage of disease involved, its also important to know your risk factors, which can include:

  • Getting a tattoo or body piercing from someone who didnt use properly sterilized equipment
  • Using intravenous drugs by means of a shared needle, or sharing a straw to inhale drugs
  • Being a healthcare worker or working in another environment in which you could have come into contact with needles or blood infected with hepatitis C
  • Having unprotected sex with multiple sex partners, having HIV , or having another sexually transmitted disease
  • Being born to a mother who had hepatitis C when she was pregnant
  • Undergoing hemodialysis for an extended period of time
  • Receiving an organ transplant or blood transfusion before July 1992
  • Receiving a blood clotting product made before 1987

Its simple to get screened for hepatitis C, says Dr. Hanje, and the treatment for this damaging liver disease is safe and effective. And if any concern about possible exposure to hepatitis C, he says, contact your doctor immediately for testing.

Additional reporting by Andrea Peirce

Chronic Hepatitis C Symptoms

Know these symptoms of hepatitis C

If you donât get diagnosed and treated, you could have the disease for years and not know it. Doctors call this the chronic form, because it lasts a long time. Some people who’ve had it for a while get scarring of the liver, which is called cirrhosis. or liver cancer.

In addition to the above symptoms, signs that your liver isnât working the way it should include:

  • Ascites — fluid buildup in your belly
  • Easy bleeding
  • Hepatic encephalopathy — confusion, drowsiness, and slurred speech
  • Jaundice of the skin

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Other Indications For Measuring Anti

In addition to screening, measuring anti-HCV can be useful in patients with symptoms of chronic liver disease patients who have other viral infections, including chronic fatigue, hepatitis B, HIV, intermittently abnormal ALT, or cirrhosis found on imaging tests or patients undergoing evaluation for organ transplantation.

Southern Cross Medical Library

The purpose of the Southern Cross Medical Library is to provide information of a general nature to help you better understand certain medical conditions. Always seek specific medical advice for treatment appropriate to you. This information is not intended to relate specifically to insurance or healthcare services provided by Southern Cross. For more articles go to the Medical Library index page.

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Questions For Your Doctor

When you visit the doctor, you may want to ask questions to get the information you need to manage your hepatitis C. If you can, have a family member or friend take notes. You might ask:

  • What kinds of tests will I need?
  • Are there any medications that might help?
  • What are the side effects of the medications you might prescribe?
  • How do I know when I should call the doctor?
  • How much exercise can I get, and is it all right to have sex?
  • Which drugs should I avoid?
  • What can I do to prevent the disease from getting worse?
  • How can I avoid spreading hepatitis C to others?
  • Are my family members at risk for hepatitis C?
  • Should I be vaccinated against other types of hepatitis?
  • How will you keep tabs on the condition of my liver?
  • How Do Doctors Treat The Complications Of Hepatitis C

    The Symptoms, Stigma, and Struggles of Life with Hep C ...

    If hepatitis C leads to cirrhosis, you should see a doctor who specializes in liver diseases. Doctors can treat the health problems related to cirrhosis with medicines, surgery, and other medical procedures. If you have cirrhosis, you have an increased chance of liver cancer. Your doctor may order an ultrasound test to check for liver cancer.

    If hepatitis C leads to liver failure or liver cancer, you may need a liver transplant.

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    What Are The Symptoms Of Hepatitis C

    You may have hepatitis C and not have any signs or symptoms.

    For those who do have symptoms, you may experience:

    • fever
    • nausea and vomiting
    • jaundice

    Hepatitis C can lead to liver damage, as it causes swelling . This swelling causes scarring of the liver, which affects how the organ functions.

    Liver scarring can worsen . This increases your chances of getting liver cancer.

    How quickly your liver undergoes damage will depend on if you:

    About 60% to 70% of people with hepatitis C do not develop symptoms until their liver has already been damaged.

    Hepatitis C And Blood Spills

    When cleaning and removing blood spills, use standard infection control precautions at all times:

    • Cover any cuts or wounds with a waterproof dressing.
    • Wear single-use gloves and use paper towel to mop up blood spills.
    • Clean the area with warm water and detergent, then rinse and dry.
    • Place used gloves and paper towels into a plastic bag, then seal and dispose of them in a rubbish bin.
    • Wash your hands in warm, soapy water then dry them thoroughly.
    • Put bloodstained tissues, sanitary towels or dressings in a plastic bag before throwing them away.

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    How Can You Tell If You Have Chronic Hepatitis C

    While most people dont feel unwell even with chronic hepatitis C, this isnt true for everyone. Some potential signs and symptoms of chronic hepatitis C that has led to liver damage include:

    • Fatigue
    • Swelling of the legs or ankles
    • Accumulating fluid in the abdomen
    • The appearance of spidery blood vessels on the skin
    • Drowsiness, confusion, and slurred speech

    Without treatment, a hepatitis C infection can cause severe liver damage and, potentially, liver failure, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Within 20 years of becoming infected, 5 to 20 percent of people with hepatitis C develop cirrhosis of the liver, says the CDC.

    Symptoms Of Hepatitis C In Women

    Hepatitis, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.

    Many women dont have symptoms until the disease is in a later stage. Women who have signs of the disease in the earliest stage may brush off symptoms or attribute them to other factors, such as anemia, depression, or menopause.

    Early symptoms of hepatitis C in women can include:

    • fatigue
    • muscle and joint pain
    • poor appetite

    Some hepatitis C infections are acute and the infection clears or improves on its own without treatment within a few months. Acute infections are more common in women .

    Hepatitis C can also be chronic, meaning the infection doesnt clear on its own, but rather progresses and damages the liver. Symptoms of chronic hepatitis and liver damage include:

    • bruising or bleeding
    • spider veins
    • confusion

    The symptoms of chronic hepatitis C occur in both men and women, but the disease can progress slower in women. However, some women experience rapid progression of the disease and liver damage after menopause.

    Having these symptoms doesnt mean you have hepatitis C.

    Hepatitis C spreads from person-to-person through contact with infected blood. If you work in an industry where you might come in contact with blood, theres a slight risk of exposure. This includes personal care such as:

    • manicurists
    • housekeeping
    • nursing

    Hepatitis C can also be spread to a sexual partner during a menstrual cycle.

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    What Medications Cure Hepatitis C Infection

    Interferons, for example, Roferon-A and Infergen, and pegylated interferons such as Peg-IntronT, Pegasys, were mainstays of treatment for years. Interferons produced sustained viral response of up to 15%. Later, peglatedll forms produced SVR of 50%-80%. These drugs were injected, had many adverse effects, required frequent monitoring, and were often combined with oral ribavirin, which caused anemia. Treatment durations ranged up to 48 weeks.

    Direct-acting anti-viral agents are antiviral drugs that act directly on hepatitis C multiplication.

    Who Does Hepatitis D Affect

    Hepatitis D affects people who already have hepatitis B . Hepatitis D can arise during or after a hepatitis B infection. When the 2 illnesses occur at once, they are known as coinfection. In other words, a person can be coinfected with hepatitis B and D. Superinfection is the term used when a person who already has chronic HBV later acquires hepatitis D.1,2

    The type of infection impacts who gets chronic hepatitis D. One study showed that hepatitis D became chronic in only 2 percent of people with a hep B/hep C coinfection. The same study found that hepatitis D became chronic in more than 90 percent of people with a superinfection.3

    Hepatitis D does not affect as many people in the United States as it does in other countries. This form of hepatitis mostly occurs in people who live in parts of Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America. One study found that fewer than 1 percent of people in the United States had the antibodies for HDV.1,2,4

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    Who Should Get Tested

    You should consider getting tested for hepatitis C if you’re worried you could have been infected or you fall into one of the groups at an increased risk of being infected.

    • Hepatitis C often has no symptoms, so you may still be infected if you feel healthy.
    • The following groups of people are at an increased risk of hepatitis C:
    • ex-drug users and current drug users, particularly users of injected drugs
    • people who received blood transfusions before September 1991
    • recipients of organ or tissue transplants before 1992
    • people who have lived or had medical treatment in an area where hepatitis C is common high risk areas include North Africa, the Middle East and Central and East Asia
    • babies and children whose mothers have hepatitis C
    • anyone accidentally exposed to the virus, such as health workers
    • people who have received a tattoo or piercing where equipment may not have been properly sterilised
    • sexual partners of people with hepatitis C

    If you continue to engage in high-risk activities, such as injecting drugs frequently, regular testing may be recommended. Your doctor will be able to advise you about this.

    Symptoms Of An Acute Infection

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    Few people show symptoms during acute infection . These symptoms can include: fatigue tenderness or an aching feeling on the right side of the abdomen decreased appetite perhaps with weight loss flu-like symptoms nausea tendency to bruise or bleed easily jaundice rash dark-coloured urine and light or clay-coloured stools. These symptoms often go away after a short time.

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    Evaluation Of Individuals With Positive Screening Test

    Patients with a positive screening test for anti-HCV antibody should be tested for serum HCV RNA. Serum HCV RNA quantifies the amount of viral RNA in serum and indicates ongoing infection. If HCV RNA is detectable, tests should be performed to determine the extent of hepatic fibrosis. These tests typically include liver biopsy or noninvasive measures, such as biochemical markers of fibrosis or transient elastography., An ultrasound of the abdomen should also be performed to identify the possible presence of cirrhosis and focal lesions in the liver suspicious for hepatic malignancy.

    Patients who have a positive anti-HCV on a screening test but have no detectable HCV RNA should have a confirmatory HCV RNA test a few months later. If HCV RNA remains undetectable, these individuals should be reassured that they do not have hepatitis C infection and that the anti-HCV may remain persistently positive. Such individuals have either cleared the virus or the true specificity of the test is lower than the reported 100%, and the test result was a false positive.

    Treatment Of Hepatitis C

    Hepatitis C is treated with antiviral medications that aim to clear the virus from your body.

    New all-tablet treatments have greatly improved the outcomes for people with hepatitis C. These treatments can cure more than 95% of individuals with chronic hepatitis C. There are several new tablets that are used in combination to treat all hepatitis C strains . They are effective for people with no liver damage and those who have more advanced liver damage or cirrhosis.

    These new tablet medications are available and subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and can be prescribed by specialists, general practitioners and specialised nurse practitioners.

    There are no restrictions on accessing treatment it is available for all adults with a Medicare card. People under 18 are able to access treatment and it is recommended they are referred to a pediatrician experienced in the treatment of hepatitis C.

    For more information on the new medications for the treatment of hepatitis C, see our video: Hepatitis C Cure what it means for Victorians.

    If your doctor does not know about the new treatments, you can call the LiverLine on for information, and to find a GP who can help you.

    Talk with your doctor about treatment options and the potential for interactions with other medications, herbal preparations and other drugs. If you take prescribed medication this will be managed so you can access treatment.

    In general, if you have hepatitis C you will feel better if you:

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