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The word hepatitis comes from the Greek – “Hep” for Liver and “itis” for inflammation. Hepatitis C therefore is a viral infection which eventually leads to inflammation of the liver (cirrhosis) and can, if left untested, lead to liver failure or cancer. It is a blood borne virus and is thought to be spread by blood to blood contact only, with the principal route of infection being the sharing of intravenous injecting equipment, including spoons, filters, burners, tourniquets, etc. The jury is out on whether it is passed on sexually, but the general thought is that it is passed on sexually only if there is blood present. Best advice is to wear a condom.
Hepatitis C is a slow acting virus and usually takes about 20 – 40 years to seriously impact on a person’s liver. However, this can be quicker if the person does not know they have the virus and does not look after their liver.
There is no immunity to Hepatitis C and you cannot get a vaccine for it. It is a very virulent virus and can live outside the body for sometime.
The virus was only discovered in 1989 and was only screened from blood and blood products in 1991. This means that if you, or someone you know, had any blood products or a transfusion prior to 1991 there may be a risk of Hepatitis C infection.
There are 6 different strains (genotypes) of Hepatitis – 1,2,3,4,5 & 6. In Scotland we tend to just see genotypes 1, 2 and 3.
Hepatitis C is treatable, but this is between 50 – 80% effective depending on what strain of Hepatitis C you have.
Hepatitis C is also curable – 25% of all people infected clear the virus naturally without recourse to treatment.
It is estimated that 1% of the Scottish population has Hepatitis C, and only 50% of these have currently been diagnosed.
Hepatitis C is also liveable with. By taking simple steps such as stopping drinking alcohol, having a healthy diet, and getting some exercise, your life expectancy with Hepatitis C need not necessarily be reduced.
Symptoms
Hepatitis C is often asymptomatic, with many people with the virus having little or no obvious signs of having Hepatitis C. However, some people do have symptoms and the most common include tiredness and fatigue and brain fogging (concentration and memory issues). These can be easily confused with aging, thyroid issues, anaemia, ME, etc. Other symptoms include nausea, insomnia, aches and pains etc.
Testing
You need to have a blood test to test for Hepatitis C. The first you have is an antibody test and if you are positive it means either that you have the virus or you have had the virus. Remember you may be one of the 25% who clear naturally. To ascertain whether you have the virus you will need a second test known as a PCR test.
If you have put yourself at risk of Hepatitis C, particularly if you have ever used injected drugs, then you should get tested. We know of people who only injected once but contracted the virus from this one shot.
You can get a Hepatitis C test at your local GUM (Genitourinary Medicine) clinic or at your GP surgery.
Hepatitis C is treatable with a 50 – 80% effectiveness depending on your genotype. The treatment lasts for between 24 – 48 weeks and is a weekly injection with a substance called pegylated interferon and daily tablets known as Ribavirin. Everyone reacts differently to this treatment, some people have been known to get lots of side effects and others hardly any. If you are on treatment and are experiencing side effects then talk to your nurse or GP about this as they can be minimised with other drugs.
Common side effects of treatment include depression, tiredness, insomnia, breathlessness, nausea, flu like symptoms, anaemia, and hair loss.
Genotype 1 = 48 weeks treatment – 50% effective
Genotype 2 & 3 = 24 weeks treatment -80% effective
Support
Accessing support will help you with the management of your illness throughout the process so if you are considering a test, undergoing treatment or continuing to live with Hepatitis C, it is worth considering what support services are available in your locality.
For more information on Hepatitis C, follow the links below:
