Hepatitis C (hep C) is a virus that affects the liver. Over time, it causes inflammation and damage that can lead to serious health problems if it isn't treated.
Unlike hepatitis A and B, there’s no vaccine to prevent hep C. Millions of people in the U.S. have hep C, and many don't know they have it.
What are the symptoms of hep C?
Hep C can live in the body for years without causing noticeable symptoms. When symptoms do happen, they can include:
- Feeling tired all the time
- Nausea or upset stomach
- Poor appetite
- Joint aches
- Pain in the abdomen
- Dark-colored urine
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
“Because symptoms aren't always obvious, many people only discover they have hepatitis C through routine blood work or screening tests,” explains Mariana Gomez de la Espriella, MD, an infectious disease expert at Carilion Clinic.
How do people get hep C?
Hep C spreads through contact with blood from someone who has the virus. This can happen in several ways, including:
- Sharing needles used for injections
- Getting a tattoo or piercing with equipment that wasn't properly sterilized
- Sharing personal items that may have small amounts of blood on them, like razors, nail clippers, or toothbrushes
- Receiving a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992 (when screening donated blood became standard)
It can also be passed during sex, although this is less common.
You can’t get hepatitis C from hugging, kissing, sharing food or drinks, coughing, sneezing, or other everyday contact.
Who should get tested?
Because hep C often doesn't cause symptoms, many people don’t realize they have it until they’re tested.
All adults should be screened at least once. Your doctor may recommend additional testing based on your health history or possible exposures.
Screening is quick and involves a simple blood test.
How is hep C treated?
A hep C diagnosis is no longer something people have to live with forever.
“Today's antiviral medications stop the virus from multiplying and can remove the virus from the body in as little as 8 – 12 weeks,” explains Dr. Gomez. “They are much more effective and cause fewer side effects than previous treatments that were available.”
After treatment, another blood test will make sure the virus is gone—then hep C is considered cured!
Why early treatment matters
Even if you feel fine, hep C can slowly damage the liver over time. Left untreated it can lead to serious problems, including:
- Liver scarring (cirrhosis)
- Liver failure
- Liver cancer
- The need for a liver transplant
The sooner hep C is diagnosed and treated, the better the chances of preventing long-term liver damage.
If you've never been tested for hepatitis C, think you may have been exposed, or have questions about your risk, talk with your primary care doctor or an infectious disease specialist.
