HCV spreads when you come in contact with the blood of an infected individual.
How do Hepatitis C virus spread?
- HCV can spread by sexual intercourse, but this is quite rare. If you are involved in sexual activities with more than one sex partner, use latex condoms consistently and correctly to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
- Injection drug use is one of the causative factor for the spread of HCV.
- There is no evidence that hugging, kissing, coughing, sneezing, sharing drinking water, casual contact or any other kind of contact without being exposed to blood is associated with HCV transmission.
Symptoms
Individuals who are infected with hepatitis C virus may not show any symptoms but they do experience the following:
- Joint and muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)
- Dark urine and light coloured stools
- Abdominal discomfort
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
Long terms effects of HCV
Of every 100 individuals infected with hepatitis C virus around:
- 70 individuals may develop chronic liver disease
- 55-85 individuals may develop long-term infection
- 1-5 persons may die from the consequences of long-term liver infection
- 5-20 persons can develop cirrhosis of the liver over a period of 20-30 years
Treatment of Hepatitis C virus
- If you are HCV positive, get yourself evaluated by your doctor for liver disease.
- Ribavirin and Interferon are 2 drugs, licensed to treating individuals with chronic hepatitis C.
- Combination therapy with the help of pegylated interferon and ribavirin is the standard choice of treatment.
- Consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited as it may worsen your liver disease.
- Combination therapy can get rid of hepatitis C virus in up to 5 out of 10 individuals for genotype 1 and in up to 8 out of 10 individuals for genotype 2 and 3.
What to do if you think you have Hepatitis C virus?
- If you think you have the symptoms mentioned, rush to the nearest doctor and get yourself evaluated for liver disease!
- There are many health departments in Australia with special clinics that treat cases of hepatitis C virus effectively. In case you don't know where to go, call your local family planning clinic for more information. No matter where you receive treatment, your case will be kept absolutely private.
- It's normal to feel embarrassed about having this infection and it may be difficult to go to the doctor or the clinic. But it is necessary to get yourself treated even though it is the hardest thing to do. There is no other way to recover.
- Don't forget to tell your sexual partner. There are chances that your partner could be infected too.