As many as one in 40 people carry the hep C virus, yet many are unaware they are infected. As a result, chronic hep C is the most common reason for needing a liver transplant, even though the infection is curable if diagnosed at an early stage.
What is it?
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that damages the liver. It is spread through contact with the blood of an infected person. The main routes of infection are sharing drug injection equipment, and receiving medical or dental treatment abroad in countries where hepatitis C is common and equipment is not sterilised properly. You can also catch it through unprotected sex (not using a condom), sharing a razor or toothbrush with someone who has hepatitis C, and it can be passed from mother to baby during childbirth. In around 20 per cent of cases, the route of transmission is unknown.
What are the symptoms?
Most people who carry the hepatitis C virus have no signs or symptoms for many years but can still pass on the virus to others. Some people develop non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, aches and pains, while one in ten people develop a mild flu-like illness with jaundice. Around a third of people clear the virus from their body and have no further problems, although blood tests will show the presence of antibodies to the virus. When your immune system does not clear the virus, chronic hepatitis C infection results in progressive liver damage. Over the course of 20 to 30 years, liver problems such as fibrosis, cirrhosis or liver cancer develop and the liver starts to fail.
What is the treatment?
Antiviral drugs such as interferon, ribavirin and amantadine (triple therapy) may be suggested for people with chronic hepatitis C. It is also important to be vaccinated against hepatitis A and B to help prevent additional liver damage from these infections.