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Hepatitis C. It is a viral infection that causes enlargement (inflammation) of the liver. Hepatitis C can cause serious liver damage. Hepatitis C virus is transmitted through contact with blood infected with the virus.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C

many people with hepatitis C do not know that they have it. This is mainly because symptoms can take decades to appear. So the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all adults ages 18 to 79 years be screened for hepatitis C, even those who do not have symptoms or have known liver disease.

Symptoms

Each long-term hepatitis C infection begins with what is called the acute phase. Acute hepatitis C is usually not diagnosed because it rarely causes symptoms. Symptoms that appear at this stage may include jaundice, fatigue, nausea, fever, and muscle pain.

Long-term infection with hepatitis C virus is called chronic hepatitis C, and symptoms of chronic hepatitis C do not appear for many years. Symptoms do not appear until the virus destroys the liver to the extent that causes it to appear.

Symptoms appear

Symptoms may include the following:

• Easy bleeding.

• Easy bruising.

• Exhaustion.

• Anorexia.

• Yellowing of the skin is called jaundice. This may appear noticeably in people with white skin. As well as yellowing of the whites of the eyes in people with white, black, and brown skin.

• Urine color changes to dark.

• Itchy skin.

• Fluid accumulation in the stomach area is known as ascites.

• Swollen legs.

• weight loss.

• Confusion, drowsiness, and slurred speech are known as hepatic encephalopathy.

• Spider-like blood vessels appear on the skin and are called spider angiomas.

Acute hepatitis C does not always become chronic. Some people can clear the infection from their bodies after the acute phase. This is called spontaneous elimination of the virus. Antiviral therapy also helps get rid of acute hepatitis C.

The reasons

Hepatitis C virus causes hepatitis C (HCV) infection. The infection spreads when blood contaminated with the virus enters the bloodstream of a healthy person.

Hepatitis C infection exists worldwide in several forms, called genotypes. There are seven genotypes and 67 subtypes. The most common genotype of hepatitis C in the United States is type 1.

Chronic hepatitis C follows the same course regardless of the genotypes of the virus causing the infection. However, treatment can vary depending on viral genotypes. However, modern antiviral drugs can treat many genotypes.

Risk factors

It is also very important to screen people who are at increased risk of contracting it. This includes:

• Anyone who has ever injected, snorted or inhaled illicit narcotics.

• Anyone in whom abnormal results from a liver examination are found without a known cause.

• children born to hepatitis C-infected mothers.

• Women amid pregnancy.

• Workers in the medical and emergency fields who have handled blood or experienced acupuncture.

• individuals with hemophilia who received clotting factor treatment before 1987.

• People who have undergone dialysis for long periods.

• People who received donor blood or had an organ transplant before 1992.

• A husband or wife with hepatitis C infection.

• People with HIV infection.

• Sex between two men.

• Sexually active people who are about to start taking medication to prevent HIV, called pre-exposure prophylaxis.

• People who have previously been to prison.

Complications

Hepatitis C infection that persists over many years can cause serious complications, such as:

liver scarring, or cirrhosis. Decades after contracting hepatitis C, scarring may appear. Damage to the liver impairs its ability to operate normally.

Liver Cancer. A small number of people with hepatitis C infection develop liver cancer.

Liver failure. Having too much scarring can cause the liver to stop working.

Hepatitis C treatment

Tablets called direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are used to treat hepatitis C. The safest and best medications for treating hepatitis C are DAA pills. They're highly effective at clearing the infection in more than 90% of people. The tablets are taken for 8 to 12 weeks, however, access to diagnosis and treatment is low and there is currently no effective vaccine against hepatitis C.