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Who is at risk?

People who had blood transfusions, or organ donations before June 1992. This is when screening for HCV started.

Health care workers who suffer needle-stick accidents.

Drug users who share needles

Infants born to HCV mothers.

HCV doesn't discriminate; it is opportunistic and will attack anyone who comes in contact.

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Though it has no vaccine, Hepatitis C is generally a livable disease if treatment can be administered. However, in certain areas of the world, treatment and diagnosis can be difficult to access due to war, lack of a medical community, and poverty.

The most infected populations are Eastern Europe (1.5%) and the Mediterranean (2.3%). Prevalence in other regions is typically 0.5%-1%.

Specific populations, like those who share needles for illegal drugs, have much higher prevalence due to risky behavior.

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DNA or RNA?
HCV is a single-strand RNA virus.

Are there any enzymes transmitted with the virus?
Yes! Glycoproteins E1 and E2 are especially insidious because they protect the virus from the immune system. They even act as a back-up system for each other because E2 protects E1 from the immune system.

Is there a protein capsid?
There is a protein capsid, but not much is known about it due to HCV's complex structure and processes.

Is there a second layer or a tegument protein layer?
No.

Is there an envelope lipid bilayer?
Yes. This is where the E1 and E2 glycoproteins are stored prior to infection.

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Researchers determined the structure of a protein on the surface of the hepatitis C virus that allows it to gain entry into cells. The finding may aid in the development of a vaccine to prevent the liver disease.

Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by a virus. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) attacks the liver, leading to inflammation. Most infections become chronic, as the body is unable to get rid of the virus. In the United States, more than 3 million people have chronic HCV infection. Worldwide, approximately 160 million people are estimated to have chronic hepatitis C. Doctors recommend that people who are at higher risk of getting hepatitis C should be tested for HCV infection.

Left untreated, chronic hepatitis C can cause severe liver disease or liver cancer. If the organ becomes extremely damaged, liver failure may occur and require a transplant. Several medicines are available to treat various types of the disease, but the response to treatment can vary.

HCV is not related to hepatitis viruses A, B, D, and E. While vaccines are available for hepatitis A and B, currently no vaccine is available to prevent hepatitis C infection.

Some proteins on the surface of HCV constantly change, allowing the virus to evade the immune system. One of these proteins, called E2, is known to contain a region that binds to liver cells. A team led by Dr. Joseph Marcotrigiano of Rutgers University analyzed the structure of the E2 protein to gain better insights into how the virus gains entry to its target cells. The study was funded in part by NIH's National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and National Center for Research Resources (NCRR). Results appeared online on February 19, 2014, in Nature.

The scientists created crystals of the E2 protein core structure in complex with an antigen-binding fragment, which helps stabilize the structure for study. Using X-ray crystallography, the scientists found that the E2 core has a compact, globular domain structure. They documented several features of the core, including structures such as coils and folds.

The researchers compared the structure of the HCV core domain with other protein structures in the NIH-supported Protein Data Bank. One major region was similar to those commonly found in viral and cellular proteins, but another was novel.

The analysis provides information on how HCV may gain entry into cells to cause infection. This knowledge will help in developing an HCV vaccine as well as new inhibitors.

"Viruses are smart and it is a constant battle to keep them out," Marcotrigiano says. "That's why the development of a vaccine is so important. It's always better to prevent infection through an effective vaccine then to treat after a chronic infection has been established."

-by Carol Torgan, Ph.D.

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Researchers determined the structure of a protein on the surface of the hepatitis C virus that allows it to gain entry into cells. The finding may aid in the development of a vaccine to prevent the liver disease. Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by a virus.

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A virus very similar to the HCV virus has been found in horses (linked), so that is a possibility for where the virus may have jumped species. However, HPV has been too long for its origin to be identified. As early as 400 BC, an epidemic of jaundice described by Hippocrates is theorized to have been caused by Hepatitis. HCV was only distinguished in the year 1975, and blood supplies were only checked for it as late as 1992. FDA approved anti-viral drug treatments in 1998.

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Approximately 71 million people have the chronic form of the disease
399,000 people die from the disease every year
60-80% of those infected have the chronic disease
15-30% risk of cirrhosis within 20 years
Can be treated with antivirals and cured, but people may not be diagnosed or have access

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Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus: the virus can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis infection, ranging in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness.

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No vaccine currently exists, but research is being done
Source for all connected posts:

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Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus: the virus can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis infection, ranging in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness.

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Cirrhosis (liver scarring) may lead to poor liver function.
HCV may cause liver cancer
Severe liver damage from HCV may lead to live failure

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Overview

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) spreads through contaminated blood.

Until recently, hepatitis C treatment required weekly injections and oral medications that many HCV-infected people couldn't take because of other health problems or unacceptable side effects.

That's changing. Today, chronic HCV is usually curable with oral medications taken every day for two to six months. Still, about half of people with HCV don't know they're infected, mainly because they have no symptoms, which can take decades to appear. For that reason, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a one-time screening blood test for everyone at increased risk of the infection. The largest group at risk includes everyone born between 1945 and 1965 - a population five times more likely to be infected than those born in other years.

Symptoms

Long-term infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is known as chronic hepatitis C. Chronic hepatitis C is usually a "silent" infection for many years, until the virus damages the liver enough to cause the signs and symptoms of liver disease. Among these signs and symptoms are:

Bleeding easily

Bruising easily

Fatigue

Poor appetite

Yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes (jaundice)

Dark-colored urine

Itchy skin

Fluid buildup in your abdomen (ascites)

Swelling in your legs

Weight loss

Confusion, drowsiness and slurred speech (hepatic encephalopathy)

Spider-like blood vessels on your skin (spider angiomas)

Every chronic hepatitis C infection starts with an acute phase. Acute hepatitis C usually goes undiagnosed because it rarely causes symptoms. When signs and symptoms are present, they may include jaundice, along with fatigue, nausea, fever and muscle aches. Acute symptoms appear one to three months after exposure to the virus and last two weeks to three months.

Acute hepatitis C infection doesn't always become chronic. Some people clear HCV from their bodies after the acute phase, an outcome known as spontaneous viral clearance. In studies of people diagnosed with acute HCV, rates of spontaneous viral clearance have varied from 14 to 50 percent. Acute hepatitis C also responds well to antiviral therapy.

Causes

Hepatitis C infection is caused by the hepatitis C virus. The infection spreads when blood contaminated with the virus enters the bloodstream of an uninfected person.

Globally, HCV exists in several distinct forms, known as genotypes. The most common HCV genotype in North America and Europe is type 1. Type 2 also occurs in the United States and Europe, but is less common than type 1. Both type 1 and type 2 have also spread through much of the world, although other genotypes cause a majority of infections in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Although chronic hepatitis C follows a similar course regardless of the genotype of the infecting virus, treatment recommendations vary depending on viral genotype.

Risk factors

Your risk of hepatitis C infection is increased if you:

Are a health care worker who has been exposed to infected blood, which may happen if an infected needle pierces your skin

Have ever injected or inhaled illicit drugs

Have HIV

Received a piercing or tattoo in an unclean environment using unsterile equipment

Received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992

Received clotting factor concentrates before 1987

Received hemodialysis treatments for a long period of time

Were born to a woman with a hepatitis C infection

Were ever in prison

Were born between 1945 and 1965, the age group with the highest incidence of hepatitis C infection

Complications

Hepatitis C infection that continues over many years can cause significant complications, such as:

Scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). After 20 to 30 years of hepatitis C infection, cirrhosis may occur. Scarring in your liver makes it difficult for your liver to function.

Liver cancer. A small number of people with hepatitis C infection may develop liver cancer.

Liver failure. Advanced cirrhosis may cause your liver to stop functioning.

Prevention

Protect yourself from hepatitis C infection by taking the following precautions:

Stop using illicit drugs, particularly if you inject them. If you use illicit drugs, seek help.

Be cautious about body piercing and tattooing. If you choose to undergo piercing or tattooing, look for a reputable shop. Ask questions beforehand about how the equipment is cleaned. Make sure the employees use sterile needles. If employees won't answer your questions, look for another shop.

Practice safer sex. Don't engage in unprotected sex with multiple partners or with any partner whose health status is uncertain. Sexual transmission between monogamous couples may occur, but the risk is low.

References

1. Hepatitis C FAQs for the public. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcv/cfaq.htm. Accessed May 4, 2016.

2. AskMayoExpert. Hepatitis C antiviral therapy (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.

3. Florian J, et al. Direct-acting antiviral drugs for treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection: Interferon-free is now. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2015;98:394.

4. Recommendations for testing, managing, and treating hepatitis C. Alexandria, Va.: The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Arlington, Va.: The Infectious Diseases Society of America. http://www.hcvguidelines.org/. Accessed March 28, 2016.

5. Liese MD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 31, 2016.

6. Bennett JE, et al. Hepatitis C. In: Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2015. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed May 4, 2016.

7. Chopra S, et al. Clinical manifestations and natural history of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed June 1, 2016.

8. Hepatic Encephalopathy. What are the symptoms of HE? American Liver Foundation. http://he123.liverfoundation.org/diagnosis/symptoms-of-he/. Accessed Dec. 1, 2014.

9. Lorenz R, et al. Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of acute hepatitis C in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 3, 2016.

10. AskMayoExpert. Hepatitis C epidemiology (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.

11. Venkatesh SK, et al. Magnetic resonance elastography of the liver: Technique, analysis and clinical applications. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 2013;37:544.

12. Gerstenmaier JF. Ultrasound in chronic liver disease. Insights Into Imaging. 2013;5:441.

13. What I need to know about hepatitis C. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/liver-disease/hepatitis-c/Pages/ez.aspx. Accessed June 1, 2016.

14. Verna EC. Recurrence of hepatitis C virus infection following liver transplantation. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed March 22, 2016.

15. Brown A. Decision Support System. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 22, 2016.

16. AskMayoExpert. Hepatitis C emerging treatments (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) spreads through contaminated blood. Until recently, hepatitis C treatment required weekly injections and oral medications that many HCV-infected people couldn't take because of other health problems or unacceptable side effects.

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Transmission: HCV can spread through infected blood, from mother to child, and sexually (although, the latter two are typically considered rare). It can spread to people without them knowing due to symptoms not always appearing.

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Overview

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) spreads through contaminated blood.

Until recently, hepatitis C treatment required weekly injections and oral medications that many HCV-infected people couldn't take because of other health problems or unacceptable side effects.

That's changing. Today, chronic HCV is usually curable with oral medications taken every day for two to six months. Still, about half of people with HCV don't know they're infected, mainly because they have no symptoms, which can take decades to appear. For that reason, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a one-time screening blood test for everyone at increased risk of the infection. The largest group at risk includes everyone born between 1945 and 1965 - a population five times more likely to be infected than those born in other years.

Symptoms

Long-term infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is known as chronic hepatitis C. Chronic hepatitis C is usually a "silent" infection for many years, until the virus damages the liver enough to cause the signs and symptoms of liver disease. Among these signs and symptoms are:

Bleeding easily

Bruising easily

Fatigue

Poor appetite

Yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes (jaundice)

Dark-colored urine

Itchy skin

Fluid buildup in your abdomen (ascites)

Swelling in your legs

Weight loss

Confusion, drowsiness and slurred speech (hepatic encephalopathy)

Spider-like blood vessels on your skin (spider angiomas)

Every chronic hepatitis C infection starts with an acute phase. Acute hepatitis C usually goes undiagnosed because it rarely causes symptoms. When signs and symptoms are present, they may include jaundice, along with fatigue, nausea, fever and muscle aches. Acute symptoms appear one to three months after exposure to the virus and last two weeks to three months.

Acute hepatitis C infection doesn't always become chronic. Some people clear HCV from their bodies after the acute phase, an outcome known as spontaneous viral clearance. In studies of people diagnosed with acute HCV, rates of spontaneous viral clearance have varied from 14 to 50 percent. Acute hepatitis C also responds well to antiviral therapy.

Causes

Hepatitis C infection is caused by the hepatitis C virus. The infection spreads when blood contaminated with the virus enters the bloodstream of an uninfected person.

Globally, HCV exists in several distinct forms, known as genotypes. The most common HCV genotype in North America and Europe is type 1. Type 2 also occurs in the United States and Europe, but is less common than type 1. Both type 1 and type 2 have also spread through much of the world, although other genotypes cause a majority of infections in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Although chronic hepatitis C follows a similar course regardless of the genotype of the infecting virus, treatment recommendations vary depending on viral genotype.

Risk factors

Your risk of hepatitis C infection is increased if you:

Are a health care worker who has been exposed to infected blood, which may happen if an infected needle pierces your skin

Have ever injected or inhaled illicit drugs

Have HIV

Received a piercing or tattoo in an unclean environment using unsterile equipment

Received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992

Received clotting factor concentrates before 1987

Received hemodialysis treatments for a long period of time

Were born to a woman with a hepatitis C infection

Were ever in prison

Were born between 1945 and 1965, the age group with the highest incidence of hepatitis C infection

Complications

Hepatitis C infection that continues over many years can cause significant complications, such as:

Scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). After 20 to 30 years of hepatitis C infection, cirrhosis may occur. Scarring in your liver makes it difficult for your liver to function.

Liver cancer. A small number of people with hepatitis C infection may develop liver cancer.

Liver failure. Advanced cirrhosis may cause your liver to stop functioning.

Prevention

Protect yourself from hepatitis C infection by taking the following precautions:

Stop using illicit drugs, particularly if you inject them. If you use illicit drugs, seek help.

Be cautious about body piercing and tattooing. If you choose to undergo piercing or tattooing, look for a reputable shop. Ask questions beforehand about how the equipment is cleaned. Make sure the employees use sterile needles. If employees won't answer your questions, look for another shop.

Practice safer sex. Don't engage in unprotected sex with multiple partners or with any partner whose health status is uncertain. Sexual transmission between monogamous couples may occur, but the risk is low.

References

1. Hepatitis C FAQs for the public. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcv/cfaq.htm. Accessed May 4, 2016.

2. AskMayoExpert. Hepatitis C antiviral therapy (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.

3. Florian J, et al. Direct-acting antiviral drugs for treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection: Interferon-free is now. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2015;98:394.

4. Recommendations for testing, managing, and treating hepatitis C. Alexandria, Va.: The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Arlington, Va.: The Infectious Diseases Society of America. http://www.hcvguidelines.org/. Accessed March 28, 2016.

5. Liese MD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 31, 2016.

6. Bennett JE, et al. Hepatitis C. In: Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2015. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed May 4, 2016.

7. Chopra S, et al. Clinical manifestations and natural history of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed June 1, 2016.

8. Hepatic Encephalopathy. What are the symptoms of HE? American Liver Foundation. http://he123.liverfoundation.org/diagnosis/symptoms-of-he/. Accessed Dec. 1, 2014.

9. Lorenz R, et al. Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of acute hepatitis C in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 3, 2016.

10. AskMayoExpert. Hepatitis C epidemiology (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.

11. Venkatesh SK, et al. Magnetic resonance elastography of the liver: Technique, analysis and clinical applications. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 2013;37:544.

12. Gerstenmaier JF. Ultrasound in chronic liver disease. Insights Into Imaging. 2013;5:441.

13. What I need to know about hepatitis C. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/liver-disease/hepatitis-c/Pages/ez.aspx. Accessed June 1, 2016.

14. Verna EC. Recurrence of hepatitis C virus infection following liver transplantation. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed March 22, 2016.

15. Brown A. Decision Support System. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 22, 2016.

16. AskMayoExpert. Hepatitis C emerging treatments (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) spreads through contaminated blood. Until recently, hepatitis C treatment required weekly injections and oral medications that many HCV-infected people couldn't take because of other health problems or unacceptable side effects.

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Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a virus  that causes inflammation of the liver.

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Overview

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) spreads through contaminated blood.

Until recently, hepatitis C treatment required weekly injections and oral medications that many HCV-infected people couldn't take because of other health problems or unacceptable side effects.

That's changing. Today, chronic HCV is usually curable with oral medications taken every day for two to six months. Still, about half of people with HCV don't know they're infected, mainly because they have no symptoms, which can take decades to appear. For that reason, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a one-time screening blood test for everyone at increased risk of the infection. The largest group at risk includes everyone born between 1945 and 1965 - a population five times more likely to be infected than those born in other years.

Symptoms

Long-term infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is known as chronic hepatitis C. Chronic hepatitis C is usually a "silent" infection for many years, until the virus damages the liver enough to cause the signs and symptoms of liver disease. Among these signs and symptoms are:

Bleeding easily

Bruising easily

Fatigue

Poor appetite

Yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes (jaundice)

Dark-colored urine

Itchy skin

Fluid buildup in your abdomen (ascites)

Swelling in your legs

Weight loss

Confusion, drowsiness and slurred speech (hepatic encephalopathy)

Spider-like blood vessels on your skin (spider angiomas)

Every chronic hepatitis C infection starts with an acute phase. Acute hepatitis C usually goes undiagnosed because it rarely causes symptoms. When signs and symptoms are present, they may include jaundice, along with fatigue, nausea, fever and muscle aches. Acute symptoms appear one to three months after exposure to the virus and last two weeks to three months.

Acute hepatitis C infection doesn't always become chronic. Some people clear HCV from their bodies after the acute phase, an outcome known as spontaneous viral clearance. In studies of people diagnosed with acute HCV, rates of spontaneous viral clearance have varied from 14 to 50 percent. Acute hepatitis C also responds well to antiviral therapy.

Causes

Hepatitis C infection is caused by the hepatitis C virus. The infection spreads when blood contaminated with the virus enters the bloodstream of an uninfected person.

Globally, HCV exists in several distinct forms, known as genotypes. The most common HCV genotype in North America and Europe is type 1. Type 2 also occurs in the United States and Europe, but is less common than type 1. Both type 1 and type 2 have also spread through much of the world, although other genotypes cause a majority of infections in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Although chronic hepatitis C follows a similar course regardless of the genotype of the infecting virus, treatment recommendations vary depending on viral genotype.

Risk factors

Your risk of hepatitis C infection is increased if you:

Are a health care worker who has been exposed to infected blood, which may happen if an infected needle pierces your skin

Have ever injected or inhaled illicit drugs

Have HIV

Received a piercing or tattoo in an unclean environment using unsterile equipment

Received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992

Received clotting factor concentrates before 1987

Received hemodialysis treatments for a long period of time

Were born to a woman with a hepatitis C infection

Were ever in prison

Were born between 1945 and 1965, the age group with the highest incidence of hepatitis C infection

Complications

Hepatitis C infection that continues over many years can cause significant complications, such as:

Scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). After 20 to 30 years of hepatitis C infection, cirrhosis may occur. Scarring in your liver makes it difficult for your liver to function.

Liver cancer. A small number of people with hepatitis C infection may develop liver cancer.

Liver failure. Advanced cirrhosis may cause your liver to stop functioning.

Prevention

Protect yourself from hepatitis C infection by taking the following precautions:

Stop using illicit drugs, particularly if you inject them. If you use illicit drugs, seek help.

Be cautious about body piercing and tattooing. If you choose to undergo piercing or tattooing, look for a reputable shop. Ask questions beforehand about how the equipment is cleaned. Make sure the employees use sterile needles. If employees won't answer your questions, look for another shop.

Practice safer sex. Don't engage in unprotected sex with multiple partners or with any partner whose health status is uncertain. Sexual transmission between monogamous couples may occur, but the risk is low.

References

1. Hepatitis C FAQs for the public. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcv/cfaq.htm. Accessed May 4, 2016.

2. AskMayoExpert. Hepatitis C antiviral therapy (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.

3. Florian J, et al. Direct-acting antiviral drugs for treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection: Interferon-free is now. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2015;98:394.

4. Recommendations for testing, managing, and treating hepatitis C. Alexandria, Va.: The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Arlington, Va.: The Infectious Diseases Society of America. http://www.hcvguidelines.org/. Accessed March 28, 2016.

5. Liese MD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 31, 2016.

6. Bennett JE, et al. Hepatitis C. In: Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2015. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed May 4, 2016.

7. Chopra S, et al. Clinical manifestations and natural history of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed June 1, 2016.

8. Hepatic Encephalopathy. What are the symptoms of HE? American Liver Foundation. http://he123.liverfoundation.org/diagnosis/symptoms-of-he/. Accessed Dec. 1, 2014.

9. Lorenz R, et al. Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of acute hepatitis C in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 3, 2016.

10. AskMayoExpert. Hepatitis C epidemiology (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.

11. Venkatesh SK, et al. Magnetic resonance elastography of the liver: Technique, analysis and clinical applications. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 2013;37:544.

12. Gerstenmaier JF. Ultrasound in chronic liver disease. Insights Into Imaging. 2013;5:441.

13. What I need to know about hepatitis C. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/liver-disease/hepatitis-c/Pages/ez.aspx. Accessed June 1, 2016.

14. Verna EC. Recurrence of hepatitis C virus infection following liver transplantation. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed March 22, 2016.

15. Brown A. Decision Support System. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 22, 2016.

16. AskMayoExpert. Hepatitis C emerging treatments (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) spreads through contaminated blood. Until recently, hepatitis C treatment required weekly injections and oral medications that many HCV-infected people couldn't take because of other health problems or unacceptable side effects.

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Symptoms for acute HCV infection:

Nausea

Fever

Jaundice (yellow skin)

Muscle aches

Symptoms may not appear

Symptoms for chronic HCV infection:

Symptoms caused by liver damage

Bleeding/bruising easily

Poor appetite

Weight loss

Fatigue

Jaundice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Overview

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) spreads through contaminated blood.

Until recently, hepatitis C treatment required weekly injections and oral medications that many HCV-infected people couldn't take because of other health problems or unacceptable side effects.

That's changing. Today, chronic HCV is usually curable with oral medications taken every day for two to six months. Still, about half of people with HCV don't know they're infected, mainly because they have no symptoms, which can take decades to appear. For that reason, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a one-time screening blood test for everyone at increased risk of the infection. The largest group at risk includes everyone born between 1945 and 1965 - a population five times more likely to be infected than those born in other years.

Symptoms

Long-term infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is known as chronic hepatitis C. Chronic hepatitis C is usually a "silent" infection for many years, until the virus damages the liver enough to cause the signs and symptoms of liver disease. Among these signs and symptoms are:

Bleeding easily

Bruising easily

Fatigue

Poor appetite

Yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes (jaundice)

Dark-colored urine

Itchy skin

Fluid buildup in your abdomen (ascites)

Swelling in your legs

Weight loss

Confusion, drowsiness and slurred speech (hepatic encephalopathy)

Spider-like blood vessels on your skin (spider angiomas)

Every chronic hepatitis C infection starts with an acute phase. Acute hepatitis C usually goes undiagnosed because it rarely causes symptoms. When signs and symptoms are present, they may include jaundice, along with fatigue, nausea, fever and muscle aches. Acute symptoms appear one to three months after exposure to the virus and last two weeks to three months.

Acute hepatitis C infection doesn't always become chronic. Some people clear HCV from their bodies after the acute phase, an outcome known as spontaneous viral clearance. In studies of people diagnosed with acute HCV, rates of spontaneous viral clearance have varied from 14 to 50 percent. Acute hepatitis C also responds well to antiviral therapy.

Causes

Hepatitis C infection is caused by the hepatitis C virus. The infection spreads when blood contaminated with the virus enters the bloodstream of an uninfected person.

Globally, HCV exists in several distinct forms, known as genotypes. The most common HCV genotype in North America and Europe is type 1. Type 2 also occurs in the United States and Europe, but is less common than type 1. Both type 1 and type 2 have also spread through much of the world, although other genotypes cause a majority of infections in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Although chronic hepatitis C follows a similar course regardless of the genotype of the infecting virus, treatment recommendations vary depending on viral genotype.

Risk factors

Your risk of hepatitis C infection is increased if you:

Are a health care worker who has been exposed to infected blood, which may happen if an infected needle pierces your skin

Have ever injected or inhaled illicit drugs

Have HIV

Received a piercing or tattoo in an unclean environment using unsterile equipment

Received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992

Received clotting factor concentrates before 1987

Received hemodialysis treatments for a long period of time

Were born to a woman with a hepatitis C infection

Were ever in prison

Were born between 1945 and 1965, the age group with the highest incidence of hepatitis C infection

Complications

Hepatitis C infection that continues over many years can cause significant complications, such as:

Scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). After 20 to 30 years of hepatitis C infection, cirrhosis may occur. Scarring in your liver makes it difficult for your liver to function.

Liver cancer. A small number of people with hepatitis C infection may develop liver cancer.

Liver failure. Advanced cirrhosis may cause your liver to stop functioning.

Prevention

Protect yourself from hepatitis C infection by taking the following precautions:

Stop using illicit drugs, particularly if you inject them. If you use illicit drugs, seek help.

Be cautious about body piercing and tattooing. If you choose to undergo piercing or tattooing, look for a reputable shop. Ask questions beforehand about how the equipment is cleaned. Make sure the employees use sterile needles. If employees won't answer your questions, look for another shop.

Practice safer sex. Don't engage in unprotected sex with multiple partners or with any partner whose health status is uncertain. Sexual transmission between monogamous couples may occur, but the risk is low.

References

1. Hepatitis C FAQs for the public. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcv/cfaq.htm. Accessed May 4, 2016.

2. AskMayoExpert. Hepatitis C antiviral therapy (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.

3. Florian J, et al. Direct-acting antiviral drugs for treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection: Interferon-free is now. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2015;98:394.

4. Recommendations for testing, managing, and treating hepatitis C. Alexandria, Va.: The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Arlington, Va.: The Infectious Diseases Society of America. http://www.hcvguidelines.org/. Accessed March 28, 2016.

5. Liese MD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 31, 2016.

6. Bennett JE, et al. Hepatitis C. In: Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2015. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed May 4, 2016.

7. Chopra S, et al. Clinical manifestations and natural history of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed June 1, 2016.

8. Hepatic Encephalopathy. What are the symptoms of HE? American Liver Foundation. http://he123.liverfoundation.org/diagnosis/symptoms-of-he/. Accessed Dec. 1, 2014.

9. Lorenz R, et al. Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of acute hepatitis C in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 3, 2016.

10. AskMayoExpert. Hepatitis C epidemiology (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.

11. Venkatesh SK, et al. Magnetic resonance elastography of the liver: Technique, analysis and clinical applications. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 2013;37:544.

12. Gerstenmaier JF. Ultrasound in chronic liver disease. Insights Into Imaging. 2013;5:441.

13. What I need to know about hepatitis C. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/liver-disease/hepatitis-c/Pages/ez.aspx. Accessed June 1, 2016.

14. Verna EC. Recurrence of hepatitis C virus infection following liver transplantation. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed March 22, 2016.

15. Brown A. Decision Support System. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 22, 2016.

16. AskMayoExpert. Hepatitis C emerging treatments (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.

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Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) spreads through contaminated blood. Until recently, hepatitis C treatment required weekly injections and oral medications that many HCV-infected people couldn't take because of other health problems or unacceptable side effects.

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An electron microscope picture of hepatitis C
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