PATIENT INFORMATION

AUTHOR: PROFESSOR JOHN MURTAGH

Copyright of Professor John Murtagh and Australian Doctor. This patient handout may be photocopied or printed out by a doctor free of charge for patient information purposes.
Hepatitis C
What is hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is one of the hepatitis viruses
that infects the liver. It is considered to be
the most common virus causing chronic
hepatitis (long-lasting inflammation of the
liver) in Australia, and probably affects about
1% of the community.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms vary from person to person
and in many cases the infection may not cause
any symptoms.
Sometimes, there is an acute form of the ill-
ness which can produce a flu-like illness
with tiredness and yellow skin (jaundice).
These symptoms may disappear in a few
weeks but this does not mean the infection
has disappeared. It may simmer along to
cause chronic long-term infection with the
virus.
Many people with chronic hepatitis C have
no symptoms, although fatigue is relatively
common.
In addition, some people feel vaguely
unwell, or have nausea, abdominal discomfort
or other abdominal symptoms.
How is hepatitis C diagnosed?
It is diagnosed by a blood test the
hepatitis C antibody test.
The result may not be positive until 2-3
months after contracting the virus.
How is hepatitis C spread?
The virus is spread by contact with infected
blood which may involve only a small
amount. Before 1990 some cases were trans-
mitted by blood transfusion but this problem
is rare since it became possible to test for the
virus.
The most common way to acquire hepatitis
C is by illicit injection of drugs (even only
once), when drug users share needles and
syringes and other injecting equipment.
It can also be spread by:

Body piercing and tattooing using unster-
ilised equipment.

Sharing razor blades and toothbrushes.

Contact with infected blood on open cuts.
It does not appear to be easily spread
through sexual activity but there is a small
risk from contact with an acutely infected
person if there is bleeding, such as during
menstruation.
Ordinary close contact such as kissing and
sharing food utensils or towels does not
appear to lead to transmission of the virus.
In about 20% of people it is not possible to
identify the source of the infection.
Knowing the source of hepatitis C can help
your doctor to work out how long you may
have been infected and how your liver is
responding.
What are the risks of hepatitis C
More than 70% of people who have been
infected continue to carry the virus in their
blood and become chronic (long-term) carri-
ers of hepatitis C.
These people are considered to remain
infectious for the rest of their lives and may
spread the virus to others.
At least 20% of these carriers will
develop cirrhosis in which healthy liver
cells are damaged and become scarred and
hard. After some time serious liver failure
can occur and some people will develop
liver cancer.
How can the spread of hepatitis C be
stopped?
If you have a positive hepatitis C test:

Do not donate blood or body organs.

Do not share needles.

Advise health care workers, including your
dentist, of your hepatitis C.

Do not share personal items (eg, razors,
toothbrushes).

Wipe up blood spills with household
bleach.

Cover cuts and wounds with a firm dress-
ing.

Safely dispose of bloodstained tissues, used
tampons and the like.

Practise safe sex.
Hepatitis C does not seem to spread easily
from mother to baby.
Is there a cure?
There is no cure, although there are new
antiviral medicines to treat chronic hepatitis.
Prevention is really the only cure. There is
no vaccine available.
What is the treatment?

People should continue to lead a normal
lifestyle and continue to exercise.

Rest if you feel unwell.

Maintain a nutritious diet well balanced
and low in fat.

Avoid drinking alcohol or have only small
amounts (maximum of one standard drink
a day).

Any smoking should be stopped.

Keep in touch with your doctor.

In some cases, chronic hepatitis C may be
treated with alpha-interferon and an anti-
viral medication.

Consider being immunised against other
hepatitis viruses (hepatitis A and hepatitis
B).
Acknowledgment: www.gesa.org.au (Gastroen-
terological Society of Australia).
Main ways of
transmission
Tattooing
IV injections
shared
needles
Symptoms
Yellow (jaundice)
eyes and skin
Tiredness
Enlarged
liver