Hepatitis C is a disease of the liver caused by the Hepatitis C virus.
Clinical Features of Hepatitis C
- Jaundice.
- Fatigue.
- Abdominal pain.
- Loss of appetite.
- Intermittent nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV).
- Primarily blood borne, also sexual and perinatal.
- Injecting drug users.
- Hemodialysis patients.
- Health care workers.
- Sex contacts of infected persons.
- Persons with multiple sex partners.
- Infants born to infected women have evidence of liver disease (e.g., persistently abnormal ALT levels).
- Screening of blood/organ/tissue donors.
- Counseling to reduce/modify high–risk practices.
- Drugs are licensed for the treatment of persons with chronic Hepatitis C.
- Treatment is effective in 10 to 40% of persons.
- Chronic infection >85% of infected persons.
- Chronic liver disease: 70% of infected persons.
- Deaths from chronic liver disease: 8,000 to 10,000/yr.
- Leading indication for liver transplantation.
