Long-Term Effects of Hepatitis C

Of the several types of hepatitis virus, hepatitis C is considered one of the most serious. There is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C. It can lead to long-term health problems such as liver cancer, cirrhosis and liver failure. Approximately 8,000 to 10,000 people die from hepatitis C related liver problems each year. It can be spread through sexual contact, body piercings and tattoos, but is most often spread through illicit drug use, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What is Hepatitis C?

• Hepatitis means liver inflammation. Causes can include bacterial and viral infections, heavy alcohol use, toxins, certain drugs and some diseases. Hepatitis is also the name used for a variety of viral infections that affect the liver. According to the CDC, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C are the most common types found in the U.S.

  Hepatitis C is a contagious disease that results from infection of the liver with the hepatitis C virus. It is usually spread when an infected person's blood enters the bloodstream of someone who is not infected. The disease had been spread through organ transplants and blood transfusions before 1992. Since then, drug users sharing needles and other injection equipment have caused most hepatitis C infections, according to the CDC.

Types of Hepatitis C

• The CDC describes two types of hepatitis C: acute and chronic.

  Acute hepatitis C is the short-term illness occurring within six months of the viral infection. Most people infected by the hepatitis C virus will not develop symptoms within this time period. For approximately 20 to 30 percent of infected people, symptoms may occur during the acute stages of hepatitis C infection and can include fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, nausea, joint pain, muscle pain and tenderness around the liver.

  Most cases (75 to 85 percent) of acute hepatitis C will lead to chronic hepatitis C. The Mayo Clinic notes that most patients will not know they have the disease until it has reached the chronic stages. Many do not find out for decades, until liver damage appears in routine medical tests. Problems associated with chronic hepatitis C include cirrhosis, liver cancer and death, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Long-Term Effects of Chronic HCV Infections

• The CDC has broken down the long-term effects of chronic hepatitis C into symptoms experienced per 100 people with the disease: one to five will die from liver cancer or cirrhosis; five to 20 will develop cirrhosis within 30 years; 60 to 70 will develop chronic liver disease.

Treatment

• Some people (approximately 15 to 25 percent) infected with hepatitis C will not need treatment.

  Those who have been diagnosed should undergo routine liver examinations. Doctors will often recommend vaccination against hepatitis A and hepatitis B to prevent further complications.

  Antiviral medications, including interferon and ribavirin, have been shown to clear the virus from the body, but they also can cause serious side effects.

  Severely damaged livers can be replaced by transplant, but the procedure is not a cure. The infection usually recurs after a transplant.

Prevention

• Vaccines are available to prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B, but not hepatitis C. The Mayo Clinic suggests the following lifestyle changes can help prevent the spread of hepatitis C for those at risk: do not use illicit drugs, practice safe sex and be extremely careful before and during body piercings and tattoos.