Hepatitis C is a common viral infection that causes liver damage and liver cancer. There are millions of people in the U.S. living with hepatitis C.
When someone develops hepatitis C, they also develop liver inflammation. An inflamed liver doesn’t work the way it should. A healthy liver does many important things that keep your body healthy. The liver:
Filters waste from the blood
Breaks down toxins
Makes bile, which digests food
Makes proteins that stop bleeding
Helps fight off infections
Stores vitamins and iron
If you have hepatitis C, your liver can have trouble doing these things. Over time, liver inflammation leads to liver damage and scarring (cirrhosis).
The hepatitis C virus causes hepatitis C.
People can get hepatitis C if they come in contact with blood that has the hepatitis C virus.
The most common ways that someone comes in contact with the hepatitis C virus are through:
Accidental needle sticks
The sharing of needles or syringes
Tattoos or piercings that use needles that aren’t sterile
Childbirth (a person with hepatitis B can pass the virus to an unborn child)
The hepatitis C virus was only discovered in 1989. So some people with hepatitis C came in contact with the virus because of a blood product transfusion or organ transplant. The U.S. started screening blood products and organs for hepatitis C in 1992. Since then, it’s very unlikely for someone to get hepatitis C from blood products or an organ transfusion.
Most people living with hepatitis C don’t have any symptoms until they develop liver damage. It takes 10 to 20 years for the virus to cause liver damage. That means people can live with the virus for decades and never notice that anything is wrong.
Some people develop symptoms for a short time about 2 to 12 weeks after they get exposed to the hepatitis C virus. These people may develop:
A loss of appetite
Fever
Fatigue
Muscle aches
Abdominal pain
Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)
Nausea and vomiting
Once people develop liver damage, these symptoms usually return. People may notice additional symptoms, like:
Easy bleeding or bruising
Swelling in the abdomen, legs, ankles, and feet
Confusion, trouble thinking, and memory loss
Itchy skin
Tiny red lines (swollen capillaries) on the skin above the waist
Compare prices and information on the most popular Hepatitis C medications.
Hepatitis C can be diagnosed with a blood test that looks for the hepatitis C virus or antibodies to the hepatitis C virus.
Experts recommend that every adult get a hepatitis C test at least once in their lifetime.
If you have symptoms of liver damage, you may also need additional blood tests that check the overall health of your liver and how well it’s working.
Hepatitis C is curable with direct-acting antiviral therapy (DAAT).
DAATs are medications that stop the hepatitis C virus from replicating. Commonly prescribed DAATs include:
Most people only need to take these medications once a day by mouth for 8 to 12 weeks. DAATs are very effective. Studies show that 95% of people who take DAATs are cured of hepatitis C.
Even though DAAT can cure hepatitis C, it can’t reverse liver damage. But even if you already have liver damage or other hepatitis C complications, you may still benefit from DAAT. Studies show DAAT can lower the risk of needing a liver transplant and developing liver cancer.
There’s no hepatitis C vaccine right now. Some clinical trials are underway, but they’re still in early stages.
So the best way to keep your liver safe from hepatitis C is to avoid exposure to other people’s blood by:
Not sharing needles
Wearing gloves when you clean up blood or come in contact with blood
It’s possible to get hepatitis C from sharing personal-care items, like toothbrushes, razors, or nail clippers. But this rarely happens. To be safe, you may want to avoid sharing these items with others.
The hepatitis C virus can live in semen, breast milk, and saliva. But it doesn’t usually pass from person to person through these bodily fluids. But to be safe, make sure to use condoms when having sex.
You can get hepatitis C more than once. So, even if you’ve been cured of hepatitis C in the past, you should still follow these steps so you don’t get hepatitis C again.
Hepatitis C can pass from person to person during sex, so it can be called a sexually transmitted infection. Using condoms during sex can protect you from hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C virus doesn’t spread easily through contact with semen or vaginal fluids, but it does spread easily through contact with blood. Bleeding can happen more easily during anal sex, which means that hepatitis C can spread more easily through anal sex than other types of sex.
Hepatitis C can pass from person to person during sex, so it can be called a sexually transmitted infection. Using condoms during sex can protect you from hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C virus doesn’t spread easily through contact with semen or vaginal fluids, but it does spread easily through contact with blood. Bleeding can happen more easily during anal sex, which means that hepatitis C can spread more easily through anal sex than other types of sex.
Yes. The hepatitis C virus spreads through direct contact with blood and sometimes through contact with semen or vaginal secretions.
The most common ways hepatitis C spreads to others is through pregnancy, accidental needle sticks, or needle sharing.
Hepatitis C is not spread through the air or saliva. So you can’t catch it from someone coughing or sneezing. You can’t get hepatitis C from hugging, kissing, or sharing food or drinks with someone who has hepatitis C.
It’s also safe to breastfeed if you have hepatitis C.
If you test positive for hepatitis C, let your primary care provider know right away so you can start treatment with DAAT. Most primary care providers are trained to treat hepatitis C. Most people don’t need to see a specialist unless they have signs of liver damage or liver cancer.
Here are some steps you can take steps to keep your liver as healthy as possible:
Get a hepatitis A and B vaccine.
Don’t drink alcohol.
Work with your healthcare provider to stop any medications or vitamins that can harm your liver.
Center for Disease Control. (2020). Hepatitis C testing.
Center for Disease Control. (2020). Q&As for health professionals.
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