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Table of content

Causes

Symptoms

Exams and Tests

Treatment

Outlook (Prognosis)

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Prevention

 Hepatitis C is a viral disease that leads to swelling (inflammation) of the liver.

Other types of viral hepatitis include:

·        Hepatitis A

·        Hepatitis B

·        Hepatitis D

Causes

Hepatitis C infection is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

You can catch hepatitis C if the blood of someone who has hepatitis C enters your body. Exposure may occur:

·        After a needle stick or sharps injury

·        If blood from someone who has hepatitis C contacts a cut on your skin or contacts your eyes or mouth

People at risk of hepatitis C are those who:

·        Inject street drugs or share a needle with someone who has hepatitis C

·        Have been on long-term kidney dialysis

·        Have regular contact with blood at work (such as a health care worker)

·        Have unprotected sexual contact with a person who has hepatitis C

·        Were born to a mother who had hepatitis C

·        Received a tattoo or acupuncture with needles that were not disinfected properly after being used on another person (risk is very low with practitioners who have a tattoo license or permit or an acupuncture license)

·        Received an organ transplant from a donor who has hepatitis C

·        Share personal items, such as toothbrushes and razors, with someone who has hepatitis C (less common)

·        Received a blood transfusion

Symptoms

Most people who are recently infected with hepatitis C do not have symptoms in most cases. Some people have yellowing of the skin (jaundice) that goes away. Chronic infection often causes no symptoms. But tiredness, skin disorders and other problems can occur.

Persons who have long-term (chronic) infection often have no symptoms until their liver becomes scarred (cirrhosis). Most people with this condition are ill and have many health problems.

The following symptoms may occur with hepatitis C infection:

·        Pain in the right upper abdomen

·        Abdominal swelling due to fluid (ascites)

·        Clay-colored or pale stools

·        Dark urine

·        Fatigue

·        Fever

·        Itching

·        Jaundice

·        Loss of appetite

·        Nausea and vomiting

Exams and Tests

Blood tests are done to check for hepatitis C:

·        Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to detect hepatitis C antibody

·        Hepatitis C RNA assays to measure virus levels (viral load)

Everyone born from 1945 to 1965 (the baby boomer generation) should get a one-time test for hepatitis C.

Genetic testing is done to check for the type of hepatitis C (genotype). There are six types of the virus (genotypes 1 through 6). Test results can help your health care provider choose treatment that is best for you.

The following tests are done to identify and monitor liver damage from hepatitis C:

·        Albumin level

·        Liver function tests

·        Prothrombin time

·        Liver biopsy

Treatment

You should talk to your provider about your treatment options and when treatment should begin.

·        The goal of treatment is to rid the body of the virus. This can prevent liver damage that may lead to liver failure or liver cancer.

·        Your provider will monitor you by checking liver blood tests, viral load (the amount of HCV in your blood), imaging tests, and biopsy results.

·        Treatment is especially important for people who are showing signs liver fibrosis or scarring.

Medicines used to treat hepatitis C are called antiviral drugs because they fight the HCV. Newer antiviral drugs:

·        Provide a much improved cure rate

·        Have fewer side effects and are easier to take

·        Are taken by mouth for 8 to 24 weeks

The choice of which drug depends on the genotype of the virus you have.

A liver transplant may be recommended for people who develop cirrhosis and liver cancer. Your provider can tell you more about liver transplant.

If you have hepatitis C:

·        Do not take over-the-counter medicines that you have not taken before without asking your provider. Also ask about vitamins and other supplements.

·        Do not use alcohol or street drugs. Alcohol can speed up the damage to your liver. It can also reduce how well medicines work.

·        Ask your provider whether you need the hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines.

Outlook (Prognosis)

Most people (75% to 85%) who are infected with the virus develop chronic hepatitis C. This condition poses a risk for cirrhosis, liver cancer, or both. The outlook for hepatitis C depends in part on the genotype.

A good response to treatment occurs when the virus can no longer be detected in the blood 12 weeks or more after treatment. This is called "sustained virologic response" (SVR). Up to 90% of those treated for some genotypes have this type of response.

Some people do not respond to initial treatment. They may need to be re-treated with a different drug regimen.

Also, some people can become re-infected or infected with a different genotype strain.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Call your provider if:

·        You develop symptoms of hepatitis

·        You believe you have been exposed to the HCV

Prevention

Steps that can be taken to help prevent the spread of hepatitis C from one person to another include:

·        Health care workers should follow precautions when handling blood.

·        Do not share needles with anyone.

·        Do not get tattoos or body piercings or receive acupuncture from someone who does not have a permit or license.

·        Do not share personal items, such as razors and toothbrushes.

·        Practice safer sex.

If you or your partner is infected with hepatitis C and you have been in a stable and monogamous (no other partners) relationship, the risk of giving the virus to, or getting the virus from, the other person is low.

HCV cannot be spread by casual contact, such as holding hands, kissing, coughing or sneezing, breastfeeding, sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses.

Currently there is no vaccine for hepatitis C.

Alternative Names

Sustained virologic response - hepatitis C; SVR - hepatitis C

Source: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000284.htm

Table of content

Causes

Symptoms

Exams and Tests

Treatment

Support Groups

Outlook (Prognosis)

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Prevention

 Hepatitis B is irritation and swelling (inflammation) of the liver due to infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Other types of viral hepatitis include hepatitis A, hepatitis C, and hepatitis D.

Causes

Hepatitis B infection is caused by the HBV. You can catch hepatitis B through contact with the blood or body fluids (semen, vaginal fluids, and saliva) of a person who has the virus.

Exposure may occur:

·        After a needlestick or sharps injury

·        If any blood or other body fluid touches your skin, eyes or mouth, or open sores or cuts 

People who may be at risk of hepatitis B are those who:

·        Have unprotected sex with an infected partner

·        Receive blood transfusions (not common in the United States)

·        Have contact with blood at work (such as health care workers)

·        Have been on long-term kidney dialysis

·        Get a tattoo or acupuncture with unclean needles

·        Share needles during drug use

·        Share personal items (such as toothbrush, razor, and nail clippers) with a person who has the virus

·        Were born to a hepatitis-B infected mother

All blood used for blood transfusions is screened, so the chance of getting the virus in this way is very small.

Symptoms

After you first become infected with the HBV:

·        You may have no symptoms.

·        You may feel sick for a period of days or weeks.

·        You may become very ill very quickly (called fulminant hepatitis).

Symptoms of hepatitis B may not appear for up to 6 months after the time of infection. Early symptoms include:

·        Appetite loss

·        Fatigue

·        Low fever

·        Muscle and joint aches

·        Nausea and vomiting

·        Yellow skin and dark urine

Symptoms will go away in a few weeks to months if your body is able to fight off the infection. Some people never get rid of the HBV. This is called chronic hepatitis B.

People with chronic hepatitis may not have symptoms and not know they are infected. Over time, they may develop symptoms of liver damage and cirrhosis of the liver.

You can spread the HBV to other people even if you have no symptoms.

Exams and Tests

A series of blood tests called the hepatitis viral panel is done for suspected hepatitis. It can help detect:

·        New infection

·        Older infection that is still active

·        Older infection that is no longer active

The following tests are done to look for liver damage if you have chronic hepatitis B:

·        Albumin level

·        Liver function tests

·        Prothrombin time

You will also have a test to measure the level of HBV in your blood (viral load). This lets your health care provider know how your treatment is working.

People at higher risk for hepatitis should be screened with a blood test. This may be needed even when they have no symptoms. Factors that lead to increased risk include:

·        The risk factors described above in the Causes section.

·        People from countries where a higher number of people have hepatitis B. These countries or areas include Japan, some Mediterranean countries, parts of Asia and the Middle East, West Africa and South Sudan.

Treatment

Acute hepatitis, unless severe, needs no treatment. Liver and other body functions are watched using blood tests. You should get plenty of bed rest, drink plenty of fluids, and eat healthy foods.

Some people with chronic hepatitis may be treated with antiviral drugs. These medicines can decrease or remove hepatitis B from the blood. One of the medicines is an injection called interferon. They also help to reduce the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer.

It is not always clear which people with chronic hepatitis B should receive drug therapy and when it should be started. You are more likely to receive these medicines if:

·        Your liver function is quickly becoming worse.

·        You develop symptoms of long-term liver damage.

·        You have high levels of the HBV in your blood.

For these medicines to work best, you need to take them as instructed by your provider. Ask what side effects you can expect and what to do if you have them. Not everybody who needs to take these medicines responds well.

If you develop liver failure, you may be considered for a liver transplant. A liver transplant is the only cure in some cases of liver failure.

Other steps you can take:

·        Avoid alcohol.

·        Check with your provider before taking any over-the-counter medicines or herbal supplements. This includes medicines such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen.

Severe liver damage, or cirrhosis, can be caused by hepatitis B.

Support Groups

Some people benefit from attending a liver disease support group.

Outlook (Prognosis)

The acute illness most often goes away after 2 to 3 weeks. The liver most often returns to normal within 4 to 6 months in most people.

Almost all newborns and about half of children who get hepatitis B develop the chronic condition. Very few adults who get the virus develop chronic hepatitis B.

About 1 in 100 people who get hepatitis B dies from the condition.

There is a much higher rate of liver cancer in people who have chronic hepatitis B.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Call your provider if:

·        You develop symptoms of hepatitis B.

·        Hepatitis B symptoms do not go away in 2 to 3 weeks, or new symptoms develop.

·        You belong to a high-risk group for hepatitis B and have not had the HBV vaccine.

Prevention

Children and people at high risk for hepatitis B should get the hepatitis B vaccine.

·        Babies should get a first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. They should have all 3 shots in the series by age 6 to 18 months.

·        Children younger than age 19 who have not had the vaccine should get "catch-up" doses.

·        Health care workers and those who live with someone who has hepatitis B should get the vaccine.

·        Infants born to mothers who have acute hepatitis B or have had the infection in the past should get a special hepatitis B vaccine within 12 hours of birth.

The hepatitis B vaccine or a hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) shot may help prevent infection if you receive it within 24 hours of contact with the virus.

Measures to avoid contact with blood and body fluids can help prevent the spread of hepatitis B from person-to-person.

Source: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000279.htm