Hepatitis C: An Overview
Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). This virus can cause serious health problems and is the main cause of chronic liver disease.
Prevention and Diagnosis
Getting diagnosed with hepatitis C is important because it can be prevented or treated to help protect your health. The best way to prevent hepatitis C is to avoid behaviors that can spread the virus, such as sharing needles or equipment, injecting drugs, and using donated blood. There are no vaccines for hepatitis C, so you need to get tested to see if you have the virus. If you do have hepatitis C, medications can cure it in 8 to 12 weeks.
Treatment Options
Treatment for hepatitis C includes a combination of medicines to kill the virus and reduce the amount of HCV in your bloodstream. These medicines are called antiviral drugs. The type of medication used depends on the genetic type of hepatitis C you have and how damaged your liver is. These medicines can include paritaprevir/ombitasvir, ribavirin, or pegylated interferon alfa-2a or alfa-2b.
Diagnosis and Testing
Your doctor will ask about your personal and family history of hepatitis, including how long you have had the virus. They will also do a physical exam and give you a blood test to check for the virus. A hepatitis C test will show how many copies of the virus are in your body (your viral load). This number can be low or high, depending on the type of hepatitis C you are infected with. You may have a liver biopsy, where the doctor removes a small piece of your liver and checks it under a microscope. This test will tell them what type of hepatitis C you’ve got and how severe it is.
Treatment Options for Advanced Cases
Liver transplantation is a good option for people with advanced hepatitis C or who have liver damage (cirrhosis) that cannot be cured with medication. However, this is not the only treatment for hepatitis C, and it’s still important to get your infection under control to protect your new liver.
The Importance of Curing Hepatitis C
Curing your hepatitis C is the best thing you can do for your health and to protect your liver. Hepatitis C can be cured with combination drug therapy, and the success rate is more than 90%. Some people will relapse with hepatitis C after treatment, and it’s important to follow up with your doctor. These people may need another course of treatment or a different combination of medicines to get their infection under control again.
Symptoms and Complications
Symptoms of acute hepatitis C typically begin between 2 and 12 weeks after you’re exposed to the virus. They can include flu-like symptoms, vomiting, stomach pain, bloating or weight loss, dark-colored urine, and a swollen abdomen. Most people who are infected with hepatitis C will go on to develop chronic liver disease, and this can cause serious health problems like scarring of your liver (cirrhosis). Cirrhosis usually takes 20 to 40 years to develop. It can lead to liver failure and, in severe cases, to cancer of the liver.
