HEPATITIS C

Hepatitis C is a disease caused by a virus in a human blood called the Hepatitis C virus. HCV or "Hep C" are shorter names for this disease. When a person gets a Hepatitis C infection, they can get damage to their liver called hepatitis. This damage can lead to a liver problem called cirrhosis or liver cancer.

How can a person get Hepatitis C?
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. Some people who get infected can get rid of the virus by taking anti-viral medicines for a long time. People who take drugs with needles, get tattoos, or have unsafe sex are at a high risk of getting this disease. about 150-200 million people in the world are infected with hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States.

Signs and symptoms:

Acute Hepatitis C:
Symptoms of acute hepatitis C infection include a decreased appetite, fatigue (tiredness), abdominal pain, jaundice (skin becoming yellow), itching, and flu-like symptoms.

The hepatitis C virus is usually detectable in the blood within one to three weeks after infection. The antibodies that the body makes to fight the virus can be detected within 3 to 12 weeks. About 3/4 of patients infected with Hepatitis C get a long-lasting infection (longer than 6 months).

Signs and symptoms that a person may have chronic (longer-term) hepatitis C include fatigue, marked weight loss, flu-like symptoms, muscle pain, joint pain, intermittent low-grade fevers, itching, sleep disturbances, abdominal pain (especially in the right upper quadrant), appetite changes, nausea, diarrhea, dyspepsia, cognitive changes, depression, headaches, and mood swings.

Prevention:
To avoid getting infected with the hepatitis C virus, which is spread by blood, a person should:

Avoid sharing drug needles or any other drug paraphernalia including "works" used for injection or rolled bills or straws for snorting drugs
Avoid unsanitary tattoo methods, such as doing homemade tattoos
Avoid unsanitary body piercing methods and acupuncture
Avoid needlestick injuries (getting pricked by used needles)
Avoid sharing grooming utensils such as hairbrushes
Avoid sharing personal items such as toothbrushes, razors, and nail clippers.
Avoid unsafe sex (sex without condoms or sex with multiple anonymous partners)

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