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Hepatitis C
Medical Questions » Hepatitis C
| Name: Hepatitis C |
| Also known as: |
| A viral infection of the liver. |
Causes of Hepatitis C
Transmitted from one person to another through blood contamination such as the sharing of needles by drug users. All blood donations are screened for this virus. Sexual transmission is uncommon. The incubation period is six to seven weeks. |
Symptoms of Hepatitis C
Usually mild, and the patient may only be vaguely unwell for a few days. A minority progress to develop jaundice, liver enlargement and nausea. |
Tests for Hepatitis C
Blood tests are available to diagnose the type of hepatitis and monitor its progress. |
Treatment for Hepatitis C
Bed rest, and a diet that is low in protein and high in carbohydrate. Alcohol is forbidden. Sometimes it is necessary to give medication for nausea and vomiting and to feed severely affected patients by a drip into a vein for a short time. If it continues to worsen, drugs may be used to reduce the liver damage. It is NOT possible to vaccinate against hepatitis C.
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Complications of Hepatitis C of its treatment
About a quarter of patients develop permanent liver damage, often after many years. |
Likely Outcome of Hepatitis C
No cure available. Many patients lead normal long lives, but about half eventually develop cirrhosis and liver failure. |
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