Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that results from infection with the Hepatitis C virus. It can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. Hepatitis C is usually spread when blood from a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus enters the body of someone who is not infected.

Many people have become infected with the Hepatitis C virus mainly by becoming in contact inadvertently with this virus.  This could have occurred by sharing needles, or other equipment potentially contaminated with this virus, such as drug paraphernalia, instruments in tattoo parlors, sharp household contaminated instruments (razors) and from contaminated blood products such as in blood transfusions and organ transplants. Healthcare workers, such as nurses and accident first responders are also at risk. In1992, a widespread screening of the blood supply began in the United States.  Today, blood banks go through great length to test their blood supplies and to make sure their blood products are safe which has helped tremendously to reduce the transmission of this infection. Although much less frequent, sexual exposures can also result in transmission of Hepatitis C virus.

Hepatitis C can be either “acute” or “chronic.” Acute Hepatitis C virus infection is a short-term illness that occurs within the first 6 months after someone is exposed to the Hepatitis C virus. In about 20% of the infected people the body’s immune systems clears the infection spontaneously. These  are “lucky” individuals, although their Hepatitis C screen test is always positive, they do not have active infection, nor they can pass the infection or need treatment.

The remainder (approximate) 80% of the infected people, the acute Hepatitis C leads to chronic infection. For most chronic Hepatitis C progresses very slowly, and it can take years (decades) from the time of the original infection to the development of some liver problems.  During all this time the person may be completely asymptomatic and unaware of the infection. For some people with chronic Hepatitis C, the infection progresses so slowly that they are unlikely to require treatment in their lifetime. A qualified doctor in this field can make the determination if the chronic Hepatitis C needs treatment or not.  Unfortunately for some people chronic Hepatitis C is a serious disease than can result in long-term health problems such as liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and even death if left untreated.

There are different types (genotypes) of Hepatitis C with different geographic distributions. Genotypes 1a and 1b are the most common in the United States (about 75 percent of cases). Genotypes 2 and 3 are present in only 10 to 20 percent of patients. Knowing the genotype of Hepatitis C is helpful in making recommendations and counseling regarding therapy. Patients with genotypes 2 and 3 are more likely to respond to standard of care therapy than patients with genotype 1. Furthermore, when using standard of care therapy, the recommended dose and duration of treatment depend on the genotype. Once the genotype is identified, it needs not be tested again; genotypes do not change during the course of infection.

Hepatitis C infection is potentially a curable disease. The goal of Hepatitis C treatment is to prevent worsening of liver disease by permanently eradicating this virus from the body. Hepatitis C can be treated with standard of care therapy which is a combination of two drugs: Pegylated interferon (given once weekly as subcutaneous injections) and ribavirin (tablets taken twice daily). This treatment is usually recommended for 6-12 months.  These two medications don’t have a direct effect in the virus hence they stimulate the patient’s immune system to clear the virus from the body.

With this standard of care therapy for Hepatitis C about 50% of people infected with genotype 1 and up to 80% of those with genotype 2 or 3, can be potentially cured.

Luckily there are multiple investigational therapies currently in development involving the use of a third drug to that standard of care with pegylated interferon and ribavirin.  These new therapies appear to significantly increase the chance for treatment response and to cure patients that have never been previously treated and even in patients with past history of HCV treatment failure.

There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C. The best way to prevent Hepatitis C is by avoiding behaviors that can spread the disease.

Learn more about Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B