What is Hepatitis C?

The Hepatitis C virus, or HCV, reproduces in the liver causing inflammation and, in more extreme cases, cirrhosis and liver cancer. There are six main strains of the virus. In the UK, genotype 1 and genotype 3 are the most common strains.

The exact number of people infected with the virus is unknown due to the ability of the virus to lie dormant in the body for a number of years.  The NHS estimate that there are around 215,000 people with the infection in the UK. Most cases are in people who inject illegal drugs, and consequently, around half of injecting drug users at some point come into contact with Hepatitis C. About 80% of exposed people develop a chronic infection and 20% are able to clear the virus by naturally building immunity. People with Hepatitis C are at higher risk of developing sepsis.

Hepatitis C Symptoms

Symptoms are not a reliable way to detect HCV, as they are normally “generic” symptoms. To confirm that the virus is present, at least one blood test will be required. Symptoms can include:

• Flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches and a high temperature/fever
• Feeling tired all the time
• Loss of appetite
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea and Vomiting

Transmission

Blood-to-blood contact is the main way of Hepatitis C transmission. This includes:

• Sharing needles with an infected person
• Transfusion or transplant from an infected donor
• During the tattoo process
• Occupational exposure to blood (mainly through needle sticks)
• From an infected mother to her unborn baby

Hepatitis C can also transfer through other bodily fluids via means such as unprotected sex.

Treatment

The treatment for hepatitis C can be successful by taking medication for a number of weeks.  The infection in the early stages is known as acute and if it continues for several months it is known as chronic.  With acute infections, treatment does not always start straight away as it can be monitored by blood tests to see if your body fights the infection. It is recommended to receive treatment if the infection is chronic.

Hepatitis C treatment usually involves making lifestyle changes to prevent further damage to the liver and to reduce the spread of the infection.  Simeprevir and sofosbuvir are some of the most common drugs.

Most cases require between 8 and 48 weeks of medication. However, this time will vary depending on the strain of the virus. To check that the medication is working, regular blood tests need to be taken.  There can be some side effects of treatment depending on the type of medication, the patient and what other medications they are taking.  There are also concerns with giving hepatitis C medications during pregnancy. It is a possibility that the drugs pass to the unborn baby.  Should a pregnant person require treatment, they normally have to wait until after the baby is born.

How effective the treatment is will depend on the strain the person has.  Genotype 1 used to be hard to treat until quite recently but now the chances of cure are much better.  Where treatment for Hepatitis C is not successful, it is possible to try different medications. It is also possible to try different combinations of medication to clear the infection.

It is important to note that where the virus is successfully cleared with treatment, the patient is not immune from contracting the virus again.

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