Ghulam Fatima
Hepatitis C is a disease that causes inflammation and infection of the liver. This condition develops after being infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C can be either acute or chronic. Unlike hepatitis A and B, there’s no vaccine for hepatitis C, although efforts to create one continue. Hepatitis C is highly contagious, which explains the high number of people with the disease. Learn more about the different types of hepatitis. The symptoms of acute hepatitis C set in quickly and last a few weeks. However, chronic hepatitis C symptoms develop over a period of months and may not be apparent at first. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 71 million Trusted Source people have chronic hepatitis C. Learn more about the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis C as well as the complications of this condition. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that approximately 70 to 80 percent Trusted Source of people with hepatitis C don’t have symptoms. While this is true, some people report mild to severe symptoms. These symptoms include: fever, dark urine, loss of appetite, abdominal pain or discomfort, joint pain, jaundice The symptoms may not show up right away. Some may take six to seven weeks to appear. Learn more about the symptoms and delayed symptoms of hepatitis C. Hepatitis C symptoms in men are the same as in women. However, men are less likely to fight off the virus than women. Hepatitis C in men may stay in their systems longer and may be more likely to cause symptoms in men. Learn more about how hepatitis C affects men. Hepatitis C is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact with someone infected with HCV. It can be spread through: organ transplants blood transfusions, sharing items such as razors or toothbrushes, sharing needles, child birth (from a mother with hepatitis C to her baby) sexual contact if blood is exchanged People who have a high risk of infection with HCV include those who have: received an organ transplant, received clotting factor concentrates or other blood products before 1987, received hemodialysis treatment for a long period, been born to a mother with hepatitis C, had a sexual partner who’s infected with hepatitis C, used needles that have been used before, Learn more about how hepatitis C is spread. Hepatitis C is contagious. However, because it’s only spread through bloodto-blood contact, it isn’t likely that you’d get hepatitis C through casual contact. There are many other infections that are a lot more contagious. However, it’s important to know how hepatitis C can and can’t spread. A doctor may not have enough evidence to diagnose hepatitis C just from symptoms. It’s important to let your doctor know if you’ve been exposed to hepatitis C. Your doctor may order a series of blood tests to check for signs of HCV infection. There are also blood tests that can also measure the amount of HCV in your blood if you’re infected. A genotyping test can be used to find out the hepatitis C genotype you have. This information will help determine which treatment will work best for you. If your doctor thinks you have liver damage, they’ll order a liver function test to check your blood for signs of heightened enzymes from your liver. Another test to check for liver damage is a liver biopsy. Your doctor will take a small piece of tissue from your liver and test it for cell abnormalities. Knowing what happens during hepatitis C testing can help make the process easier. Learn what to expect from a hepatitis C blood test. Certain foreign substances that enter your body trigger your immune system to make antibodies. Antibodies are specifically programmed to only target and fight the foreign substance that they were made to fight. If you’re infected with HCV, your body will make hepatitis C antibodies that only fight HCV. Since your body would only make hepatitis C antibodies if you have hepatitis C, the hepatitis C antibody test can confirm HCV infection by testing whether you have hepatitis C antibodies. Learn more about the hepatitis C antibody test. Unfortunately, right now there’s no hepatitis C vaccine. However, there are many other ways to prevent getting hepatitis C. Learn the many things you can do to keep you from getting hepatitis C. Not everyone infected with hepatitis C will need treatment. For some people, their immune systems may be able to fight the infection well enough to clear the infection from their bodies.