Overview
Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver and often causes no symptoms for many years, quietly scarring the liver over decades. It spreads mainly through infected blood — unsafe injections, transfusions and shared needles. For a long time it was hard to treat, but modern tablets now cure the great majority of people in a few months. Because it is so silent, testing anyone with a possible exposure is the way to catch and cure it before the liver is harmed.
Symptoms
- Often no symptoms for years
- Tiredness and vague unwellness
- Loss of appetite and nausea
- Discomfort over the liver
- Yellow skin, dark urine and swelling only in advanced disease
When to see a doctor
See a doctor for a test if you have had a possible blood exposure — modern treatment cures most people and prevents liver damage.
Causes
The hepatitis C virus, spread through infected blood via unsafe injections, transfusions, shared needles and, less often, unprotected sex.