is hep c really that bad?
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Chronic hepatitis C can be a lifelong infection with the hepatitis C virus if left untreated. Left untreated, chronic hepatitis C can cause serious health problems, including liver damage, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver cancer, and even death.
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Hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver are medical conditions that can damage and inflame the liver. Hepatitis C is a viral illness, while cirrhosis is scarring of the liver that can occur due to hepatitis C and other medical conditions.
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While injection drug use is a risk factor, the biggest reason baby boomers are more likely to have hepatitis C is probably due to unsafe medical procedures at the time. In the past, there was no protocol or screening method to check if a blood supply was virus-free.
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Both hepatitis B and C infections can cause short- and long-term effects. However, hepatitis C is more likely to turn into a chronic condition than hepatitis B. A person can transmit hepatitis B through bodily fluids, while the transmission of hepatitis C usually only occurs through blood-to-blood contact.
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If your body struggled with the hepatitis C virus for a prolonged period of time (called a chronic hepatitis C infection), the virus may have done damage to one or more parts of the body, including the immune system. This can leave a person more susceptible to illnesses than a healthier person.
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A baby can be infected during birth if the mother has hepatitis C infection. It also can be spread during unprotected sex, but it is harder to spread the virus this way.
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Hepatitis C Information. Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C is spread through contact with blood from an infected person. Today, most people become infected with the hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment used to prepare and inject drugs.
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Acute hepatitis C usually goes undiagnosed because it rarely causes symptoms. When signs and symptoms are present, they may include jaundice, along with fatigue, nausea, fever and muscle aches. Acute symptoms appear one to three months after exposure to the virus and last two weeks to three months.
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You can contract hepatitis C by coming into direct contact with an infected person's blood. It can also be transmitted by contact with bodily fluids including saliva or semen of an infected person, but this is rare.
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Like the human papillomavirus (HPV), early acute hepatitis C can clear on its own without treatment; this happens about 25 percent of the time. However, it's more likely that the virus will remain in your body longer than six months, at which point it's considered to be chronic hepatitis C infection.
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Without treatment of a chronic infection, about 75% to 85% of people who have it get a long-term infection called chronic hepatitis C. If the condition goes untreated, it can lead to: Cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver. Liver cancer.
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Is it safe for a mother infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) to breastfeed her infant? Yes. There is no documented evidence that breastfeeding spreads HCV. Therefore, having HCV-infection is not a contraindication to breastfeed.
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While HE won't kill you, it can lead to brain fog and you might make a poor choice that could jeopardize your life. Overall, the hepatitis C virus takes a toll on your body and can lead to death.
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Acute hepatitis C is a contagious viral infection spread through contact with blood and bodily fluids that contain HCV. The main risk of the acute form of the disease is development into chronic hepatitis C, a more serious form of the disease that can cause liver damage and liver cancer.
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People with hepatitis C can live many years after diagnosis, but the range varies. A 2014 study showed that patients infected with hepatitis C virus died on average 15 years sooner than people who did not have the illness.
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Screening can detect the infection before it has caused serious damage to a person's liver. Screening is most beneficial for people at high risk for being infected with hepatitis C, such as those who have ever injected drugs. People who received a blood transfusion before 1992 also are at increased risk.
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Hepatitis C infection is treated with antiviral medications intended to clear the virus from your body. Your doctor may recommend one medication or a combination of two to three medications to be taken for 12 – 24 weeks or longer.