Hepatitis C Health Article

Expectations (prognosis)

Most people with hepatitis C infection have the chronic form.

In people who are treated with medications, a "sustained response" means that the patient is free from the hepatitis C virus 6 months after stopping treatment. This does not mean that the patient is cured, but that the levels of active hepatitis C virus in the body are very low and are probably not causing more, or as much damage.

Patients with genotypes 2 or 3 are three times more likely to respond to treatment than patients with genotype 1.

Hepatitis C is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease in the United States today. People with this condition may have:

• Cirrhosis of the liver
• Liver cancer (may develop in a small number of people with liver cirrhosis)

Hepatitis C usually comes back after a liver transplant, which can lead to cirrhosis of the new liver.

Calling your health care provider

Call your provider if:

• You develop symptoms of hepatitis
• You believe you have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus

Prevention

Avoid contact with blood or blood products whenever possible. Health care workers should follow precautions when handling blood and bodily fluids.

Do not inject illicit drugs, and especially do not share needles with anyone. Be careful when getting tattoos and body piercings.

Sexual transmission is low among stable, monogamous couples. A partner should be screened for hepatitis C. If the partner is negative, the current recommendations are to make no changes in sexual practices.

People who have sex outside of a monogamous relationship should practice safer sex behaviors to avoid hepatitis C as well as sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and hepatitis B.

Currently there is no vaccine for hepatitis C.

References

Ghany MG, Strader DB, Thomas DL, Seeff LB. American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Diagnosis, management, and treatment of hepatitis C: an update. Hepatology. 2009;49:1335-1374.

Jou JH, Muir AJ. In the clinic. Hepatitis C. Ann Intern Med. 2008;148:ITC6-1-ITC6-16.