Hepatitis Hotline
1-888-4HEPCDC
1-888-443-7232 |
Hepatitis Branch,
Mailstop G37
Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases
National Center for Infectious Diseases
Atlanta, GA 30333 |
American Liver
Foundation
75 Maiden Ln, Suite 603
New York, NY 10038
1-800-GO LIVER
1-800-465-4837
The American Liver Foundation is a national voluntary health
organization dedicated to preventing, treating, and curing hepatitis and other liver and
gallbladder diseases through research and education. |
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Take
care of
your liver ! |
 See your doctor regularly. Do
not drink alcohol.
Tell your doctor about all medicines that you are taking, even over the
counter and herbal medicines.
If you have liver damage from hepatitis C, you should get vaccinated
against hepatitis A. |
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| Pregnancy
and HCV |
| 5 % of infants born to HCV infected women
become infected. This occurs at the time of birth, and there is no treatment that can
prevent this from happening. However, infants
infected with HCV at the time of birth seem to do very well in the first few years of
life. There is not enough data available on the evolution of infection as these infants
grow older. |
|
Hepatitis C is NOT
spread by:
- breast feeding
- sneezing
- hugging
- coughing
- sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses
- food or water
- casual contact Hepatitis
C costs an estimated $ 600 million dollars to the society (from work loss and
medical expenses)
Every year, 50,000 to 150,000 people
get infected by HCV in the States
8,000 to 10,000 Americans die every
year from a chronic liver disease
There is no vaccine
available to prevent hepatitis C
A person infected by
hepatitis C can still get other types of viral hepatitis, such as hepatitis A or hepatitis
B. |
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| Almost 4 milliion
Americans are infected with Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and 70 % of them will eventually
develop chronic liver disease. Hepatitis C is
a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the blood, and can spread by
contact with blood of an infected person. Most persons who get hepatitis C may carry the
virus for the rest of their lives without even feeling sick, although some will eventually
develop liver failure and cirrhosis.
|
Symptoms of Hepatitis C are typically :
 Jaundice
Fatigue
Abdominal pain
Loss of appetite
Intermittent nausea
Vomiting
If you suspect you may have been infected by the Hepatitis C
virus (see How could I have gotten hepatitis C?), ask your doctor
about getting tested.
| What if
my hepatitis C test is positive ? |
Contact your doctor. Additional tests may be needed to check
your diagnosis and to see if you have liver damage.
| How
could I have gotten Hepatitis C ? |
HCV is spread primarily by exposure to human blood. You may
have gotten hepatitis C if:
you ever
injected street drugs, even if you experimented a few times many years ago.
you were
treated for clotting problems with a blood product made before 1987.
you received
a blood transfusion or solid organ transplant (e.g., kidney, liver, heart) from an
infected donor.
you were
ever on long-term kidney dialysis.
you were
ever a health care worker and had frequent contact with blood in the work place,
especially accidental needlesticks.
your mother
had hepatitis C at the time she gave birth to you.
you ever had
sex with a person infected with HCV.
you lived
with someone who was infected with HCV and shared items such as razors or toothbrushes
that might have had blood on them.
| Is
there a treatment for Hepatitis C ? |
Drugs are licensed for the treatment of persons with
long-term hepatitis C. 20 to 30 % of patients who are treated get rid of the virus.
Check with your doctor to see if treatment may help you.
| How
can I prevent spreading HCV ? |
Do not donate your blood, body organs, other
tissue, or sperm.
Do not share toothbrushes, razors, or other
personal care articles that might have your blood on them.
Cover your cuts and open sores.
Use latex condoms to lower the risk of spreading
HCV to your sex partner
Ask your doctor about having your sex partner
tested.
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