Hepatitis C: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment

Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus infection, called HCV. This infection is silent and can be acquired in many ways, including when going for a manicure. Therefore it is important to inform yourself to be aware of what should be done to avoid contracting this virus.

How to Get Hepatitis C

The main means of transmission of hepatitis C is through blood contaminated with HCV. Other less frequent ways of contracting the virus are through unprotected sex and also from mother to fetus during pregnancy.

Symptoms

In most cases, carriers of the HCV virus show no symptoms, which makes this disease very dangerous by attacking silently. As in Hepatitis A, only the acute form of this disease causes the patient to have certain symptoms, such as malaise, vomiting, nausea, yellow skin (jaundice) and muscle pain.

Unfortunately, most patients only realize that they have hepatitis C when it has already developed into the acute, pre-chronic stage and is at risk for cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Hepatitis C Prevention

There is no vaccine against hepatitis C, so it is essential to take some precautions to prevent your blood from becoming infected with someone else's virus. Here are some ways to prevent Hepatitis C:

• Do not use injecting drugs;
• Do not share syringes or other sharp objects;
• Verify that all blood collection material for testing or injecting medicines is disposable;
• Use only your individual cuticle cleaning and removal material when going to your manicure;
• Do not have sex without a condom;
• Do piercings, tattoos and acupuncture only in well-sanitized places with needles and disposable materials;
• Get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B to prevent other forms of the disease;
• Checking the hygiene conditions of hospitals where you have blood transfusions, after all, is one of the easiest ways to get the virus.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Hepatitis C is diagnosed by tests that detect antibodies to HCV. This test, called anti-HCV, should be done especially by people who had a blood transfusion before 1993, as the blood used was not examined before the transfusion.

The treatment of hepatitis C is through a combination of an injection of antiviral substance produced by our body against HCV that should be given three times a week and an oral drug called ribaveriva. The treatment can last between six months and one year and the substances used are freely distributed by SUS.

During treatment, the patient may experience the following symptoms: body aches, nausea, fever and other possible symptoms such as hair loss, depression, vomiting and weight loss. When the disease is already at its most acute level, the patient may have water belly, extreme tiredness and mental confusion.

After treatment, the odds in cirrhosis patients are no more than 70%. But they still vary depending on the type of HCV they contracted. In no case the chances of cure reach 100%.

When the disease is found, treatment should be started immediately and the patient should cease alcohol consumption. Women who want to become pregnant need to have their HCV screened before then to prevent their child from being born with the virus.

What is Hepatitis C and Why Should You Care? (April 2024)