Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn
Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center
Are You at Risk?
Patient/Family Education Program
Education Service Line Columbia, South Carolina
Hepatitis C is a serious public health problem in the United States.
Between 36,000 and 230,000 get hepatitis C each year. Many become seriously ill and require hospitalization, and many die of liver failure.
Like other bloodborne diseases, hepatitis C can be prevented with proper precautions. In addition, a blood test is available for hepatitis screening. Read this information to learn what puts you at risk for hepatitis C, how you can protect yourself from this disease, how you can be tested, and what to do if you have hepatitis C.
What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is found in the blood of persons who have this disease. The infection is spread by behaviors involving contact with blood or body fluids of an infected person and by blood transfusions.
How great is the risk for hepatitis C?
About 40% of all persons who get hepatitis C do not know how they were infected with HCV. If you do not engage in any of the behaviors listed below, your risk for hepatitis C is probably low. However, if you are involved in any of these behaviors, your risk for hepatitis C could be very high.
You are at risk if you
have ever injected drugs
have a job that exposes you to human blood
are a hemodialysis patient
received a blood transfusion before July 1992
received clotting factors made before 1987
have sexual contact with an infected person
have multiple sex partners
You may be at risk if you
live with a person who has hepatitis
What are the symptoms of hepatitis C?
If you have hepatitis C, you may have:
- yellowing of the skin and eyes
- loss of appetite
- nausea and vomiting
- fever
- extreme fatigue
- stomach pain
Some persons who are infected with hepatitis C have no symptoms and can infect others without knowing it.
How serious is hepatitis C?
Each year in the United States, a small number of people die with liver failure shortly after getting hepatitis C. Persons who get hepatitis C may never fully recover and may carry the virus for the rest of their lives. More than half of these persons have some liver damage and may eventually develop cirrhosis of the liver and liver failure.
How is HCV spread?
HCV is spread primarily by exposure to human blood. A person may get hepatitis C by sharing needles to inject drugs or through exposure to human blood in the workplace.
HCV has been spread between sex partners.
HCV may be spread among household members, however the risk is low.
HCV cannot be spread by food and water.
A person who has had other types of viral hepatitis, such as hepatitis A and hepatitis B, can still get hepatitis C
There is no evidence that HCV is spread by sneezing, coughing or other casual contact.
How can you find out if you have hepatitis C?
A blood test is available for hepatitis C screening. A test shows if a person has been infected with HCV, but it does not tell if the infection is old or recent. In addition, the test does not tell who is infectious and who has completely recovered and cannot pass the infection on to anyone else.
What if your test for hepatitis C is positive?
If you have a positive test result and have risk factors for hepatitis C or have signs of liver disease, you probably have been infected with HCV. However, if you have no signs of liver disease and do not engage in high-risk behavior, your hepatitis C positive result may be a "false positive". Your healthcare provider will determine if additional tests are necessary.
What do you do if you have Hepatitis C?
If you have hepatitis C
Do not donate blood, plasma, body organs, other tissue or sperm
Do not share toothbrushes, razors, or other items that could be contaminated with blood
Cover open sores or other breaks in the skin
HCV may be spread by sexual contact with an infected person. To reduce the chances of spreading HCV by sexual contact, follow these "safer-sex" guidelines:
- Use latex condoms to prevent the exchange of body fluids
- Have only one sex partner
- If you have multiple sex partners
- Reduce the number of your sex partners to prevent others from getting infected
- Inform your sex partners about your illness
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