Why hepatitis c causes

Page last reviewed: 27 October Next review due: 27 October Injecting drugs People who inject drugs, including illegal recreational drugs and performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids , are at the highest risk of becoming infected with hepatitis C. Less common causes Unprotected sex Hepatitis C may be transmitted during sex without using a condom unprotected sex , although this risk is considered very low. If your partner has hepatitis C, you should be tested for the condition.

Blood donations before September Since September , all blood donated in the UK is checked for the hepatitis C virus. Blood transfusions and treatment abroad If you have a blood transfusion or medical or dental treatment overseas where medical equipment is not sterilised properly, you may become infected with hepatitis C.

Sharing toothbrushes, scissors and razors There's a potential risk that hepatitis C may be passed on through sharing items such as toothbrushes, razors and scissors, as they can become contaminated with infected blood.

Tattooing and body piercing There is a risk that hepatitis C may be passed on by using tattooing or body piercing equipment that has not been properly sterilised. Mother to child There is a small chance that a mother who is infected with the hepatitis C virus will pass the infection on to her baby.

Needlestick injury There's a small — approximately 1 in 50 — risk of getting hepatitis C if your skin is accidentally punctured by a needle used by someone with hepatitis C.

What are the symptoms of hepatitis C? What causes hepatitis C? How do doctors diagnose hepatitis C? What tests do doctors use to diagnose hepatitis C? How do doctors treat hepatitis C? How do doctors treat the complications of hepatitis C?

How can I protect myself from hepatitis C infection? How can I prevent spreading hepatitis C to others? Is a hepatitis C vaccine available? What should I eat and drink if I have hepatitis C? What is hepatitis C? Hepatitis C can cause an acute or chronic infection. Acute hepatitis C Acute hepatitis C is a short-term infection. Chronic hepatitis C Chronic hepatitis C is a long-lasting infection. People more likely to get hepatitis C are those who have injected drugs had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July have hemophilia and received clotting factor before have been on kidney dialysis have been in contact with blood or infected needles at work have had tattoos or body piercings have worked or lived in a prison were born to a mother with hepatitis C are infected with HIV have had more than one sex partner in the last 6 months or have a history of sexually transmitted disease are men who have or had sex with men In the United States, injecting drugs is the most common way that people get hepatitis C.

Cirrhosis Cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver slowly breaks down and is unable to function normally. Liver failure Also called end-stage liver disease, liver failure progresses over months, years, or even decades.

Liver cancer Having chronic hepatitis C increases your chance of developing liver cancer. These symptoms may include dark yellow urine feeling tired fever gray- or clay-colored stools joint pain loss of appetite nausea pain in your abdomen vomiting yellowish eyes and skin, called jaundice If you have chronic hepatitis C, you most likely will have no symptoms until complications develop, which could be decades after you were infected.

Medical history Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and whether you have any history of blood transfusions or injected drug use. Physical exam During a physical exam, your doctor will typically examine your body to check for signs of liver damage such as changes in skin color swelling in your lower legs, feet, or ankles tenderness or swelling in your abdomen What tests do doctors use to diagnose hepatitis C?

Blood tests Your doctor may order one or more blood tests to diagnose hepatitis C. Blood tests for hepatitis C include the following: Screening test for antibodies to the hepatitis C virus. A screening blood test will show whether you have developed antibodies to the hepatitis C virus. A positive antibody test means you were exposed to the hepatitis C virus at some point. However, the virus may no longer be present in your blood if your body fought off the infection on its own or if you received treatment that cured the infection.

Hepatitis C RNA test. The hepatitis C RNA test can show whether you still have the hepatitis C virus and how much virus is in your blood. This information can help your doctor treat the infection. To see if you are responding to treatment, your doctor may order this test while you are undergoing treatment to find out if the amount of virus in your blood is changing.

Genotype test. Your doctor can use this test to find out what strain, or form, of hepatitis C virus you have. At least six specific strains—called genotypes—of hepatitis C exist. Genotype 1 is the most common hepatitis C genotype in the United States. Your doctor will prescribe medicines and recommend a length of treatment based on which hepatitis C genotype you have how much liver damage you have whether you have been treated for hepatitis C in the past Your doctor may order blood tests during and after your treatment.

Chronic hepatitis C symptoms develop over a period of months or years and may not be apparent at first. Still, some people report mild to severe symptoms. These include:. The symptoms may not show up right away. Some may take anywhere from two to 12 weeks to appear. Acute infections occur within 6 months of coming into contact with the virus. These cases are typically mild, lasting only a few weeks. However, hepatitis C can become chronic more than half the time and may be lifelong if left untreated.

It can lead to long-term health problems , including liver damage and liver cancer. HCV is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact with someone with an infection.

It can be passed through:. Prior to , blood transfusions were considered a highly viable method of transmitting the hepatitis C virus. Due to medical advances in blood screening, the likelihood of transmission via this medical process has been significantly reduced.

People who have a high risk for transmission with HCV include those who:. Around 30 percent of people with acute hepatitis C get better within 6 months without treatment, per data published by the WHO. If you develop chronic hepatitis C, it can likely still be cured. The WHO states that antiviral medications can cure over 95 percent of hepatitis C diagnoses.

This newer treatment usually takes around 12 to 24 weeks and has few side effects. Not everyone with hepatitis C will need treatment. For some people, their immune systems may be able to fight the infection well enough to clear the virus from their bodies.

Past hepatitis C treatment regimens required weekly injections with many negative side effects. Newer antiviral medications are often successful at treating the virus.

They come in pill form and cause few side effects. There are many medications for hepatitis C. Treating hepatitis C as early as possible can help reduce the risk of these problems happening. Find out more about the complications of hepatitis C. There's no vaccine for hepatitis C, but there are ways to reduce your risk of becoming infected.

The risk of getting hepatitis C through sex is very low. But it may be higher if blood is present, such as menstrual blood or from minor bleeding during anal sex. Condoms are not usually necessary to prevent hepatitis C for long-term heterosexual couples, but it's a good idea to use them when having anal sex or sex with a new partner.

Page last reviewed: 27 October Next review due: 27 October