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Hepatitis C

FACTS:

• Hepatitis C is transmitted through blood and other body fluids. 
  
• Hepatitis C cannot be spread through sneezing, coughing, hugging or eating food prepared by someone who is infected with hepatitis C. 
  
• Hepatitis C is much less likely to spread person to person than HepatitisB.
  
• Most people, especially children, will have no symptoms.
  
• When someone has symptoms they can include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, mild fever, vomiting, muscle aches, joint aches, headache, dark urine, yellow eyes or skin, and abdominal pain.  See a doctor immediately if these symptoms are present.
  
• There is no vaccine to prevent Hepatitis C.
  
• Hepatitis C affects the liver and 80% of people infected with Hepatitis C will develop the chronic, long term, form of hepatitis C.  Only 1/5 of those people with the chronic form will get severe liver damage called cirrhosis; this occurs 20-30 years after initial infection.
  
• The natural history of Hepatitis C in children has not been well studied, but is believed to be clinically milder compared to adults and progress less often and more slowly.

TREATMENT:

• Don’t share sharp instruments such as razors, needles, or toothbrushes.
  
• Avoid direct contact with blood and bodily fluids.
  
• Clean blood or bodily fluids with a diluted bleach solution. 
  
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after any potential exposure to blood.
  
• Treatment is available with medications for patients who meet certain medical criteria.   Treatment should be determined and monitored closely by a doctor.
  
• All patients with hepatitis C, who do NOT have hepatitis B, should be immunized for hepatitis B.  It is important to prevent persons with hepatitis C from getting hepatitis B, because having both leads to a worse prognosis.