What is hepatitis?

The liver is one of the organs that helps with digestion but is not part of the digestive tract. It is the largest organ in the body and carries out many important functions, such as making bile, changing food into energy, and cleaning alcohol and poisons from the blood.

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver that sometimes causes permanent damage. It is caused by viruses, bacteria, certain medications, or alcohol. Generally, symptoms of hepatitis include fever, jaundice, and an enlarged liver. There are several types of hepatitis.

What is hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C (once called non-A, non-B hepatitis) is a liver disease caused by a recently identified blood-borne virus. Discovered in 1989, this strain of acute viral hepatitis causes approximately 25,000 new infections in the US each year.

Recovery from this infection is rare - about 75 percent to 85 percent of infected persons become chronic carriers of the virus. Approximately 25 percent of people infected with hepatitis C virus will become sick with jaundice or other symptoms of hepatitis. Seventy-five percent of these individuals may go on to develop chronic liver disease.

Chronic liver disease due to hepatitis C causes between 10,000 and 12,000 deaths and is the leading indication for liver transplantation each year in the United States. By the year 2010, the number of deaths from hepatitis C is expected to rise to 38,000 each year.

• children born to mothers who are infected with the virus
• persons who have a blood-clotting disorder such as hemophilia and received clotting factors before 1987
• persons who require dialysis for kidney failure
• individuals who received a blood transfusion before 1992
• persons who may participate in high-risk activities such as intravenous (IV) drug use and/or unprotected heterosexual or homosexual sexual contact.

There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. Persons who are at risk should be checked regularly for hepatitis C. Persons who have hepatitis C should be monitored closely for signs of chronic hepatitis and liver failure.  

• loss of appetite
• fatigue
• nausea and vomiting
• vague stomach pain
• jaundice - yellowing of the skin and eyes.
• fever
• dark yellow urine
• light-colored stools
• muscle and joint pain

Symptoms may occur from two weeks to six months after exposure. The symptoms of hepatitis C may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.

In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diagnostic procedures for hepatitis C may include the following:

• blood tests
• liver biopsy - a procedure performed to remove tissue or cells from the body for examination under a microscope.

Specific treatment for hepatitis C will be determined by your physician based on:

• your age, overall health, and medical history
• extent of the disease
• your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
• expectations for the course of the disease
• your opinion or preference

At the present time, a vaccine is not available for the prevention of hepatitis C. Treatment may include biological therapy with interferon.