What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis C results from infection with the hepatitis C virus. It is a contagious liver disease that ranges in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. Hepatitis C can be either acute or chronic.
Acute hepatitis C virus infection is a short-term illness that occurs within the first six months after exposure. Some people manage to clear the virus naturally from their body, but for most people, acute infection becomes a long term (chronic) infection.
Chronic hepatitis C virus infection occurs when the Hepatitis C virus remains in a person’s body for longer than six months. Chronic infection can last a lifetime and if left untreated can lead to serious liver problems and death.
Hepatitis C is usually passed from person to person by
- Injecting drugs and sharing injecting equipment (needles, syringes, spoons).
- Receiving contaminated blood (transfusion) or blood products. This is now rare since widespread screening of donated blood was introduced.
- Condomless penetrative anal or vaginal sex with a partner living with hepatitis C. People living with HIV or those engaging in rough sex, fisting, group sex or who have multiple sex partners have a higher rate of acquiring Hepatitis C.
- Needlestick injuries in health care settings.
- Mother transmitting the infection to her baby.
- Sharing personal care items that may have come in contact with blood from a person living with hepatitis C, such as razors or toothbrushes.
How does it affect you?
Approximately 70%–80% of people with acute hepatitis C do not have any symptoms. Some people, however, can have mild to severe symptoms, including fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-coloured stools, joint pain, jaundice (yellow colour in the skin or eyes). If symptoms occur, the average time to appear is 6–7 weeks after exposure, but this can range from 2 weeks to 6 months.
Chronic hepatitis C is often first detected during routine blood tests. In people with chronic hepatitis C the liver may become damaged over time and most people have no symptoms up until the liver has been significantly damaged. If left untreated, long-term health problems may ensue: liver cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer, or even death. It is the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplantation.
Of every 100 people infected with the Hepatitis C virus, about 75–85 people will develop chronic hepatitis C virus infection; of those,
- 60–70 people will go on to develop chronic liver disease
- 5–20 people will go on to develop cirrhosis over a period of 20–30 years
- 1–5 people will die from cirrhosis or liver cancer
Diagnosis
A simple screening blood test shows whether you have ever been exposed to hepatitis C by looking for antibodies to the virus. Testing positive for the antibody means that you have been exposed to the virus at some point in your life. You will need to attend a clinic for a second test (eg hepatitis C RNA) to confirm whether the virus is still present or if you have successfully cleared it.
Free Hepatitis C Test Kit
Get a free STI test kit delivered to your door. Take a self sample and return via freepost. Access your results online within a week. SHL.UK offers NHS funded home hepatitis C test kits for London.
Treatment
If you receive a reactive hepatitis C test result via SHL our Health Adviser team will refer you to a clinic who will perform confirmatory hepatitis C bloods. If these blood tests confirm you have active hepatitis C viral infection you will be referred to a hepatitis outpatient clinic for ongoing care/treatment. There are several highly effective medications available to treat chronic hepatitis C.
Acute infection can clear on its own without treatment in up to 25% of people. Treatment is available that reduces the risk of becoming a chronic infection.
Contacting partners
If you are diagnosed with hepatitis C you will need to inform previous sexual partners, or partners whom you shared injectable equipment with and advise them to get tested for hepatitis C. If you feel unable to inform previous partners one of our Health Advisers will be able to notify them on your behalf.
Maintaining good sexual health and preventing re-infection
People living with hepatitis should avoid alcohol because it causes additional liver damage. You should check before taking any prescription pills, supplements, or over-the-counter medications, as these can potentially damage the liver as well. You should be given Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B vaccinations, have regular sexual health check-ups and avoid donation of semen, organs or blood.
If you have recently acquired hepatitis C it is possible you may also have been transmitted another infection. Therefore, we advise you have a full sexual health including chlamydia, gonorrhoea, LGV, syphilis, hepatitis B and HIV.
Once you have cleared hepatitis C (naturally or by taking hepatitis C?treatment) you can be transmitted the virus again. To prevent this use condoms for penetrative sex and do not share injecting equipment.