Hepatitis C is a virus that causes chronic liver inflammation and long-term damage. Transmission commonly occurs through infected needles. HCV is treatable with new antiviral medications, but many people don’t know they’re infected. They may not have symptoms until liver disease has progressed to liver failure.
Texas Specialty Clinic offers essential information on Hepatitis C, one of the most well-known forms of the liver disease, to help patients understand the condition.
Hepatitis C is caused by a virus that spreads through contact with blood. Transmission occurs when the blood of an infected person enters the body of an uninfected person. In the U.S., it most commonly occurs when people share needles for injecting intravenous drugs. Worldwide, transmission commonly occurs in medical settings with unsterilized equipment.
Hepatitis A and hepatitis B are different viruses that also cause hepatitis. They differ in the ways they’re contracted and spread, the types of infections they cause and the ways that you can treat them and prevent them.
There are a variety of medications now available to treat hepatitis C. Different medications are recommended to treat different strains of the virus. The length of treatment may depend on your overall condition and the strain (or genotype) you have. Some respond better to treatment than others.
Screening for hepatitis C infection begins with a simple blood test. Your healthcare provider will draw a small amount of blood from a vein in your arm and send it to the lab for testing. If you’ve been infected with the virus, your blood sample will have antibodies against hepatitis C. If you test positive for antibodies, your healthcare provider will follow up with additional blood tests.
There are a variety of medications now available to treat hepatitis C. Different medications are recommended to treat different strains of the virus. The length of treatment may depend on your overall condition and the strain (or genotype) you have. Some respond better to treatment than others.
