- Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus. You may be at risk for hepatitis C and should contact your medical care provider for a blood test if you:

  • were notified that you received blood from a donor who later tested positive for hepatitis C.
  • have ever injected illegal drugs, even if you experimented a few times many years ago
  • received a blood transfusion or solid organ transplant before July, 1992
  • received a blood product for clotting problems produced before 1987
  • have ever been on long-term kidney dialysis have evidence of liver disease.
CLINICAL FEATURES
  • Jaundice
  • fatigue
  • abdominal pain
  • loss of appetite
  • intermittent nausea
  • vomiting
ETIOLOGIC AGENT
  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
INCIDENCE
  • 36,000-230,000 total infections/yr in United States
  • 25-30% of infections are symptomatic
SEQUELAE
  • Chronic infection >85% of infected persons
  • Chronic liver disease: 70% of infected persons
  • Deaths from chronic liver disease: 8,000-10,000/yr
  • Leading indication for liver transplantation
PREVALENCE
  • 1.8% (3.9 million) of Americans chronically infected
COSTS
  • Estimated $600 million (1991 dollars)
    (medical and work loss, excluding transplantation)
TRANSMISSION
  • Primarily bloodborne; also sexual and perinatal
RISK GROUPS
  • Injecting drug users
  • Hemodialysis patients
  • Health care workers
  • Sexual contacts of infected persons
  • Persons with multiple sex partners
  • Recipient of transfusions before July 1992
  • Recipient of clotting factors made before 1987
  • Infants born to infected women
TRENDS
  • Incidence stable in 1980's; decline in 1990's
  • Transfusion-associated cases occurred prior to donor screening, now very rare
  • Most new infections due to high risk drug (60%) or sexual (20%) behaviors
Routine Testing
  • Transfusion recipients notified of receipt of blood from positive donor
  • Recipients of transfusions or solid organs prior to July 1992
  • Recipients of clotting factor concentrates prior to 1987
  • Chronic hemodialysis patients
  • Persons who ever injected illegal drugs, even if a few times many years ago
  • Health care and public safety workers after exposure to HCV-positive blood
  • Children born to HCV-positive women
PREVENTION
  • Screening of blood/organ/tissue donors
  • Counseling to reduce/modify high-risk practices
TREATMENT
  • Drugs are licensed for the treatment of persons with chronic hepatitis C
  • Treatment is effective in 15-30% of  persons
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
  • Hepatitis Foundation International
    (800) 891-0707
  • CDC, Hepatitis Branch
    (888) 443-7232 (4HEPCDC)
  • American Liver Foundation
    (800) 223-0179 (GOLIVER)
    (888) 443-7222 (4HEPABC)
  • National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse
    (301) 654-3810


 

Table from the CDC

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