Understanding Hepatitis C: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options
Hepatitis C is a contagious virus affecting the liver, often asymptomatic at first. It spreads through blood contact, sharing needles, or organ transplants. Symptoms may include fatigue, jaundice, and abdominal pain, with chronic cases causing more serious health issues. Detection involves blood tests, and treatments are available to combat the infection. Early diagnosis and intervention are critical for effective management and prevention of liver damage.
Hepatitis C is a highly contagious and potentially severe viral infection impacting the liver. It affects many individuals globally and ranks among the most serious types of hepatitis. Often, initial stages show no noticeable symptoms, but as it progresses, signs like fever, stomach discomfort, dark urine, and yellowish skin and eyes may appear.
Causes of Hepatitis C
This virus spreads through various means, including sharing needles, blood transfusions, organ transplants, and contact with infected blood during activities such as body modifications or unprotected sex. Breastfeeding and contact with contaminated blood are additional transmission routes.
The symptoms of Hepatitis C can be classified into two categories: acute and chronic. About 15% of cases involve acute infection, characterized by mild, nonspecific symptoms like nausea, fatigue, joint pain, decreased appetite, and occasional liver failure without jaundice. Young and female patients tend to recover faster.
Chronic infection occurs when the virus persists in the body for over six months, affecting approximately 80% of those infected. Symptoms include easy bruising, dark urine, weight loss, abdominal fluid buildup, swollen legs, jaundice, itchy skin, drowsiness, confusion, slurred speech, and visible spider veins on the skin.
How is Hepatitis C Treated?
Diagnosis involves blood tests that identify hepatitis C antibodies and HCV RNA through PCR, typically within one to two weeks. Additional testing detects liver damage and fibrosis, often through biopsies or blood panels. Individuals with a history of blood transfusions before 1992, incarceration, or tattoos should undergo screening.
