Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infection with the hepatitis C virus.
Around three per cent of people worldwide are thought to have hepatitis C. It's difficult to know precise numbers, though, because it usually only causes non-specific symptoms - if it causes any at all.
How's it spread?
Hepatitis C virus is usually transmitted through blood-to-blood contact. This is usually through sharing needles when injecting recreational drugs - around 35 per cent of people with the virus will have contracted it this way.
Before 1991, blood transfusions were a common route of infection. However, since then all blood used in the UK has been screened for the virus and is only used if not present.
It can be passed on through sharing of toothbrushes, scissors and razors
Hepatitis C can be sexually transmitted, but this is thought to be uncommon. A minority of people have been infected through bodily fluids such as saliva, but this is rare. It can be passed on through sharing of toothbrushes, scissors and razors.
If someone needs a blood transfusion or medical treatment while staying in a country where blood screening for hepatitis C is not routine or where medical equipment is reused but not adequately sterilised, the virus may be transmitted.
In up to 50 per cent of cases, however, the origin of the infection is never found. It's believed that the virus can't be transmitted through normal social contact such as touching and sharing cups - you can't catch hepatitis C from toilet seats either.
Symptoms
In most cases, the initial infection doesn't cause any symptoms and is said to be silent. When it does cause symptoms they tend to be vague and non-specific.
Possible symptoms of hepatitis C infection include:
· Fatigue
· Weight loss
· Loss of appetite
· Joint pains
· Nausea
· Flu-like symptoms (fever, headaches, sweats)
· Anxiety
· Difficulty concentrating
· Alcohol intolerance and pain in the liver area
The most common symptom experienced is fatigue that may be mild but is sometimes extreme. Many people initially diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome are later found to have hepatitis C.
Unlike hepatitis A and B, hepatitis C doesn't usually cause people to develop jaundice.
In about 75 per cent of causes, the infection lasts for more than six months (chronic hepatitis C). Most of these people have a mild form of the disease with intermittent symptoms of fatigue or no symptoms at all.
Around one in five people with chronic hepatitis C develops cirrhosis. However, hepatitis C is a slowly progressive disease and it can 20 years or more from the time of infection for cirrhosis to develop. Those with chronic hepatitis C infection should be seen by a hospital liver specialist who may recommend antiviral drug treatments either as single drug therapy or as combination therapy.
Treatment
Whether treatment is needed, and if so which type, depends on a number of factors. These include blood tests to identify which strain of hepatitis C infection is present and how well the liver is functioning, and a liver biopsy to establish whether cirrhosis is occurring. Hepatitis C is treated with a combination of interferon alpha and ribavirin.
Prevention
There are a number of ways to reduce the risk of the infection being transmitted. Those most at risk of contracting the infection are injecting-drug users, who should never share needles or other equipment. Practising safe sex by using condoms is also important. People with hepatitis C infection aren't allowed to register as an organ or blood donor.
