Hepatitis C: Causes, Symptoms, Transmission, Treatment and Prevention

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that can be transmitted through contact with the blood of an infected person. For some people, hepatitis C is a short-term illness, but 75-85% of those infected with hepatitis C will develop a chronic, long-term infection.

Chronic hepatitis C is a serious disease that can lead to long-term health problems and even death. Most infected people may not be aware of their hepatitis C virus infection because they show no clinical symptoms. There is no vaccine developed for hepatitis C, but there is an effective treatment.

The best way to prevent hepatitis C is by avoiding behaviors that can spread the disease, especially injecting drugs and sharing needles.

Most cases are reported in the Eastern Mediterranean region. In the South-East Asia Region and the Western Pacific Region, it is estimated that 10 million people in each region are infected.

According to the CNSCBT report, no cases of viral hepatitis C were recorded on the territory of Romania in 2021.

Mode of transmission

The virus is transmitted through contact with the blood of an infected person. This can happen as a result of:

• organ transplants and blood transfusions, especially before 1992
• sharing items, such as razors or toothbrushes
• sharing needles
• childbirth (the mother can transmit the virus to the baby)
• sexual contact, if blood is exchanged
• getting a tattoo or piercing with non-sterile equipment

The virus can be contracted again even if you have had the disease before.

Before 1992, blood transfusions were considered to have a high risk of transmitting the hepatitis C virus. Due to medical advances in detecting the virus in blood, the chances of contracting the virus from a transfusion are low.

You will not transmit hepatitis C through:

• hugging, kissing, or touching
• breastfeeding
• eating or drinking after an infected person
• coughing and sneezing

Symptoms

The incubation period for hepatitis C ranges from 2 weeks to 6 months. After the initial infection, approximately 80% of people do not show any symptoms.

Those who are acutely symptomatic may experience fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, joint pain, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).

Diagnosis

Diagnosing hepatitis C is done based on blood tests to detect the virus in the body. There are two tests to confirm the virus:

• antibody identification test
• PCR test

A test for the detection of the hepatitis C virus genotype is also recommended to discover the strain that caused the infection, so that the treatment can be appropriate.

In cases of severe illness, the doctor may suggest a liver biopsy to determine the degree of liver damage (fibrosis and cirrhosis).

Treatment

Treatment consists of the administration of antiviral medications, called direct-acting antivirals, which help eliminate the virus from the blood.

Prevention

Currently, there is no vaccine against hepatitis C. To avoid infection with the hepatitis C virus, it is recommended to:

• not share equipment for injecting drugs or medications (needles or syringes)
• not share razors, toothbrushes, or personal items that might have blood on them.
• use condoms during sexual contact
• not engage in sexual intercourse during or immediately after the menstrual cycle
• not donate blood, organs, tissues, or semen if you suspect a possible infection
• protect open skin lesions

References
https://www.nfid.org/infectious-diseases/hepatitis/
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-c
https://www.healthline.com/health/hepatitis-c
https://www.cnscbt.ro/index.php/analiza-date-supraveghere/hepatita-virala-tip-b-si-c/3000-hepatita-virala-b-si-c-anul-2021-analiza/file
https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/otherlanguages/hpscfactsheetsinromanian/hpsc_6pp%20HepC%20DL%20Romanian%20Web.pdf
https://bioclinica.ro/pentru-pacienti/boli-infectioase/hepatita-c-afectiunea-care-se-transmite-prin-sange
https://doc.ro/hepatita-c/testele-de-laborator-in-hepatita-c
https://www.synevo.ro/hepatita-c-si-diagnosticul-de-laborator/
https://www.medlife.ro/glosar-medical/afectiuni-medicale/hepatita-c-cauze-simptome-tratament