An estimated 3.9 million people in the United States have been infected with Hepatitis C. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of six currently identified hepatitis viruses, which is A, B, C, D, E, and G. All can attack and damage the liver, but HCV is one of the most serious of the six. Hepatitis C is the major reason for liver transplants in the United States. Currently, approximately 35,000 new HCV infections are estimated to occur each year. African Americans and persons aged 30-49 years have the highest incidence of HCV infection. Most are unaware that they have the virus. The virus makes the liver swell and stops it from doing its functions, such as fighting infections, removing drugs and other poisons from the blood, and storing energy when the body needs it. If the virus is not detected, it can lead to serious medical problems in the future, such as liver scarring, liver cancer, liver failure, or death.

Many people with Hepatitis C usually do not show any recognizable signs or symptoms for a long time. Some may experience flu-like symptoms and may think it is the flu without any knowledge that it is the Hepatitis C virus causing this. The symptoms may be:

· Feeling tired

· Mild abdominal pain

· Fever

· Chills

· Loss of appetite

· Nausea

· Vomiting

· Diarrhea

· Weakness

· Dark yellow urine

· Light-colored stools

· Yellowish eyes & skin

Hepatitis C virus is transmitted through exposure to an infected person’s blood. People who had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992 from infected donors should be tested for Hepatitis C infection. Before 1992, doctors could not check blood for Hepatitis C and some people may receive blood infected with Hepatitis C virus.

Can Get Hepatitis C	Cannot Get Hepatitis C
Sharing drug needles	Shaking hands with an infected person
Getting pricked with a needle that has infected blood on it (i.e. hospital employees)	Hugging an infected person
Getting a tattoo or body piercing with unsterilized tools	Kissing an infected person
Being born to a mother with Hepatitis C	Sitting next to an infected person
**Rare cases, having sex with an infected person, especially who have STDs	Sneezing, coughing, sharing utensils or drinking glasses with an infected person

PEOPLE WHO SHOULD TEST FOR HEPATITIS C

Injected illegal drugs once or a few times many years ago

Treated for clotting problems with a blood product made before 1987

Received blood from a donor who later tested positive for Hepatitis C

Received a blood transfusion or solid organ transplant before July 1992

Long-term hemodialysis patients

Show signs or symptoms of liver disease (i.e. abnormal liver enzyme tests)

Healthcare workers after exposures (i.e. needle sticks or splashes to the eye) to HCV-positive blood

Children born to HCV-positive women

WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM GETTING HEPATITIS C

DO NOT share drug needles with anyone

Wear gloves before touching anyone’s blood

DO NOT use an infected person’s toothbrush, razor, or anything that could have blood on it

Make sure the tools are clean and disinfected if getting a tattoo or body piercing

Use a condom during sex if you have several sex partners

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved treatments that can get rid of the virus and make the liver functional. Currently, there are two types of medications used to treat Hepatitis C, interferon as a single drug therapy and interferon and ribavirin as a combination therapy. Interferon is injected into the bloodstream to boost the immune response to HCV. The interferons that may be used are Intron A, PEG-Intron, Roferon-A, and Infergen. Intron A, Roferon-A, and Infergen are “conventional” interferons that are injected three times a week. PEG-Intron is a longer-acting form of interferon and is injected once a week. Ribavirin is taken orally to prevent the virus from reproducing more viral cells. If ribavirin is used alone in the treatment, it is not as affective in suppressing the levels of the virus in the bloodstream. Only Intron A and PEG-Intron are approved for use in combination with ribavirin.

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