http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/c/fact.htm
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS 80% of persons have no signs or symptoms.
jaundice
fatigue
dark urine
abdominal pain
loss of appetite
nausea
CAUSE Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
LONG-TERM EFFECTS Chronic infection: 55%-85% of infected persons
Chronic liver disease: 70% of chronically infected persons
Deaths from chronic liver disease: 1%-5% of infected persons may die
Leading indication for liver transplant
TRANSMISSION
Occurs when blood from an infected person enters the body of a person
who is not infected.
HCV is spread through sharing needles or "works" when "shooting"
drugs, through needlesticks or sharps exposures on the job, or from an
infected mother to her baby during birth.
Recommendations for testing based on risk for HCV infection Persons at
risk for HCV infection might also be at risk for infection with
hepatitis B virus (HBV) or HIV.
Recommendations for Testing Based on Risk for HCV Infection
PERSONS RISK OF INFECTION TESTING RECOMMENDED?
Injecting drug users High Yes
Recipients of clotting factors made before 1987 High Yes
Hemodialysis patients Intermediate Yes
Recipients of blood and/or solid organs before 1992 Intermediate Yes
People with undiagnosed liver problems Intermediate Yes
Infants born to infected mothers Intermediate After 12-18 mos. old
Healthcare/public safety workers Low Only after known exposure
People having sex with multiple partners Low No*
People having sex with an infected steady partner Low No*
*Anyone who wants to get tested should ask their doctor.
PREVENTION There is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C.
Do not shoot drugs; if you shoot drugs, stop and get into a treatment
program; if you can't stop, never share needles, syringes, water, or
"works", and get vaccinated against hepatitis A & B.
Do not share personal care items that might have blood on them
(razors, toothbrushes).
If you are a health care or public safety worker, always follow
routine barrier precautions and safely handle needles and other
sharps; get vaccinated against hepatitis B.
Consider the risks if you are thinking about getting a tattoo or body
piercing. You might get infected if the tools have someone else's
blood on them or if the artist or piercer does not follow good health
practices.
HCV can be spread by sex, but this is rare. If you are having sex with
more than one steady sex partner, use latex condoms* correctly and
every time to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. You
should also get vaccinated against hepatitis B.
If you are HCV positive, do not donate blood, organs, or tissue.
TREATMENT & MEDICAL MANAGEMENT
AASLD Practice Guideline: Diagnosis, Management, and Treatment of
Hepatitis C
HCV positive persons should be evaluated by their doctor for liver disease.
Interferon and ribavirin are two drugs licensed for the treatment of
persons with chronic hepatitis C.
Interferon can be taken alone or in combination with ribavirin.
Combination therapy, using pegylated interferon and ribavirin, is
currently the treatment of choice.
Combination therapy can get rid of the virus in up to 5 out of 10
persons for genotype 1 and in up to 8 out of 10 persons for genotype 2
and 3.
Drinking alcohol can make your liver disease worse.
STATISTICS & TRENDS Number of new infections per year has declined
from an average of 240,000 in the 1980s to about 30,000 in 2003.
Most infections are due to illegal injection drug use.
Transfusion-associated cases occurred prior to blood donor screening;
now occurs in less than one per 2 million transfused units of blood.
Estimated 3.9 million (1.8%) Americans have been infected with HCV, of
whom 2.7 million are chronically infected.
The risk for perinatal HCV transmission is about 4%
If coinfected with HIV the risk for perinatal infection is about 19% |
