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Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a virus that affects the liver. It is transmitted through blood to blood contact. There is treatment that can cure some people, depending on the type of hepatitis C they have. People can have the virus for many years and some may develop serious liver disease.
Last updated: 25 January 2013
What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a disease caused by a virus. Hepatitis C virus is one of many different viruses that can infect the liver. It lives in liver tissue and blood and can cause severe scarring and damage to the liver. This can have long-lasting health effects.
About three quarters of people infected with hepatitis C develop chronic (long-lasting) infection without treatment and some eventually develop liver failure or cancer of the liver.
About a quarter of people infected with hepatitis C virus recover or 'clear' the infection without specific treatment.
What are the symptoms?
Most people have no symptoms when they are first infected with hepatitis C. If there are symptoms, they usually develop within one to three months of infection and can include:
- a mild flu-like illness,
- a yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice),
- abdominal pain,
- loss of appetite,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- dark urine, or
- fatigue.
These symptoms last from days to a few weeks and then get better without treatment but this doesn't mean that the virus has gone.
People with chronic hepatitis C infection may appear well while others will develop symptoms such as;
- fatigue,
- loss of appetite,
- nausea/vomiting,
- abdominal pain, and
- joint pains.
How is it transmitted?
Hepatitis C is transmitted when the blood of an infected person enters the bloodstream of an uninfected person. This can happen through:
- any form of skin penetration with unsterile equipment, including: sharing needles, syringes, spoons, tourniquets and other injecting equipment; needle stick injuries; tattooing; body piercing; acupuncture
- sharing toothbrushes, razors, sex toys or other items that may have blood on them
- if blood from an infected person makes direct contact with an open wound or cut of a person who is not infected
Very rarely, hepatitis C may also be transmitted:
- from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding.
- during sex without a condom.
Hepatitis C is not transmitted by casual contact like hugging or holding hands; kissing on the cheek; coughing or sneezing; sharing food; or sharing eating utensils.
How is it spread?
Hepatitis C is spread when the blood of an infected person enters the bloodstream of an uninfected person. The amount of blood might be so small that it's invisible to the eye. This can happen through:
- any form of skin penetration with contaminated equipment, including:
- sharing needles,
- syringes and other injecting equipment;
- needle stick injuries;
- tattooing;
- body piercing;
- acupuncture; or
- other procedures using contaminated instruments
- sharing personal items that may have blood on them such as toothbrushes, razors, or sex toys
- if blood from an infected person makes direct contact with an open wound of another person
Very rarely, hepatitis C may also be transmitted:
- from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth.
- during sex without a condom.
Hepatitis C is not transmitted by casual contact like hugging or holding hands; kissing on the cheek; coughing or sneezing; sharing food; or sharing eating utensils.
Who is at risk?
Exposure to hepatitis C may be common in some high risk groups including injecting drug users, people who have tattoos or body piercing with contaminated instruments, and babies born to women with hepatitis C.
How is it prevented?
There is no vaccination to prevent against hepatitis C. Prevention of hepatitis C requires preventing exposure to blood that may contain hepatitis C.
The best way to make sure you are not infected with hepatitis C is to avoid any possible blood-to-blood contact by:
- never sharing needles, syringes and other injecting equipment
- ensuring tattoo, acupuncture, and body piercing equipment are sterile
- preventing contact with other people's body fluids (e.g. use gloves to dress wounds and to clean up spills of blood and other body fluids)
- always use condoms, gloves or dental dams during sex if blood may be present
- never sharing personal items such as razors, toothbrushes, combs and nail clippers.
You can get sterile needles and syringes from your local needle and syringe program. These are free, anonymous and confidential services. You can also get sterile needles and syringes from some pharmacies.
How is it diagnosed?
Hepatitis C is detected by a blood test.
How is it treated?
The best course of treatment involves a 'combination therapy' of two drugs that reduce inflammation of the liver and can clear the virus in 50 to 80% of people treated. Combination therapy takes from 6 to 12 months to complete and can have serious side-effects. Newer treatments however may be shorter with fewer side-effects.
To reduce the risk of further liver damage, people with hepatitis C should:
- limit or avoid alcohol,
- get lots of rest and eat a healthy diet
- get vaccinated for hepatitis A and hepatitis B
Telling others
If you have been diagnosed with hepatitis C it is important to tell people who may have been exposed so they can be tested. Your doctor can help you to decide who may be at risk and help you to contact them. If you wish, your doctor can make the contact for you, while also keeping your identity confidential.
If you are a health care worker you should ensure that you do not pass hepatitis C on to patients. Speak to your doctor, professional body or your employer. Further information is available in the policy 'HIV, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C - Health Care Workers Infected' (PD2005_162) http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/policies/pd/2005/pdf/PD2005_162.pdf
What is the public health response?
Doctors, hospitals and laboratories, schools and childcare centres must notify new cases of Hepatitis C to the local public health unit. This information is kept confidential and is used to better understand who is at risk of the disease and to help control further spread.
Further information
- Hepatitis Helpline (02) 9332 1599 or 1800 803 990 (outside Sydney)
www.hepatitis.org.au - Multicultural HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Service
phone (02) 9515 5030 or 1800 108 098 (outside Sydney) www.multiculturalhivhepc.net.au - NSW Sexual Health Infoline 1800 451 624
- NSW public health units - 1300 066 055
Websites
Websites
http://www.letthemknow.org.au/
Information for people who have been diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhoea, mycoplasma genitalium, syphilis, and trichomoniasis
http://www.bettertoknow.org.au/
Information about sexually transmissible infections for Aboriginal women and men
http://www.thedramadownunder.info/introduction
Information about sexually transmissible infections for HIV-positive and HIV-negative gay men
Hepatitis C Campaign - Posters and Flyers