Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a slow acting virus affecting the liver, which sometimes leads to liver damage, liver failure or cancer. For many people, the infection won’t result in serious disease or death but can make life difficult.
Hepatitis C can be more serious than Hepatitis A or B.
Symptoms
- There might not be any symptoms at first, as symptoms tend to occur several years after getting Hepatitis C.
- Common symptoms include tiredness, nausea, muscle aches/pains and pains in the stomach area. Hepatitis C may cause mild jaundice (yellowing of whites of eyes and skin), dark urine and pale faeces. The most common symptom of long-term infection is tiredness. Depending on how badly the liver is damaged, other symptoms might occur.
How do you get it?
You can only get Hepatitis C when blood infected with the virus comes into direct contact with your blood. This might happen when you use items that have been contaminated with another person's blood, such as drug injecting equipment, body piercing equipment, tattooing tools and inks, some personal hygiene equipment such as razors or through an accidental needlestick injury. Hepatitis C can also be transmitted from a mother to baby during childbirth. Hepatitis C is not easily passed on during sex.
What’s the treatment?
People with the disease need to have regular blood tests to check on the progress of the disease and see how their liver is functioning. Many people with Hepatitis C may need to be referred to a Specialist at a Liver Clinic for on going treatment and care. While drug treatments are available, these have unpleasant side effects and not all patients cope well with the treatment.
There is no vaccine to prevent infection with Hepatitis C.
What to do
For advice, see your local doctor, family planning clinic or sexual health clinic.
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