As one of the five forms of viral hepatitis, Hepatitis C can be a serious disease that may cause acute illness and, in some cases, liver failure. You can help protect yourself and the people you love by understanding where it comes from and how it to avoid it.
Hepatitis C is a viral disease that attacks the liver and can be spread through contact with an infected person’s blood. Common forms of contact include shared drug needles and other needles, and transmission is possible from mother to child during pregnancy or breast-feeding. You can also contract Hepatitis C virus by getting a tattoo or body piercing with unsterilized or dirty tools or by having sex with an infected person. Additionally, doctors were unable to test blood transfusions and organ transplants for Hepatitis C virus before 1992 and hence these medical procedures may have caused infection.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases estimates that half of the people infected with Hepatitis C virus are unaware they are carriers. Symptoms are rarely physical and can be easily confused with less serious and shorter-term illnesses. When symptoms are present, Hepatitis C can feel like the flu: fatigue, upset stomach, fever, loss of appetite, stomach pain and diarrhea. Some people have dark yellow urine, light-colored stools, and yellowish eyes and skin. If you suspect you may have Hepatitis C, it is important that you speak with your doctor and have an antibody test as soon as possible.
To determine the specific stage of the disease, a liver biopsy is required. Treatments are available; however, complete recovery is rare. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases estimates that therapies currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) eradicate the virus in only five to 35 percent of patients.
Some of the most effective tools against Hepatitis C are increased awareness and preventative measures. Protecting yourself can be as easy as taking a few precautions. First of all, avoid any activities that may cause you to come in direct contact with another person’s blood. Avoid sharing needles, razors, toothbrushes or any other instruments that may have another person’s blood on them. If you are planning to get a tattoo or piercing, make sure that the tools are clean and sterilized. Also, if you have more than one sex partner, be sure to use a condom. If you must come in contact with another person’s blood, wear adequate protection. It is also crucial that patients give their physicians their complete and accurate health history to help detect cases that may appear dormant.
For more information about Hepatitis C, call the Hepatitis Foundation International at (800) 891-0707 or talk to your doctor.
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