Spread the word, not the virus

Symptoms

• Fever, fatigue, headache

• Loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain

• Dark urine, clay-coloured bowel movements

Prevalence

• More than 185 million people around the world infected by hepatitis C virus (HCV)

• In India alone, it is estimated that 12-18 million patients are infected with Hepatitis C

• Globally, Hepatitis C is implicated in 28% of liver cirrhosis and 26% of liver cancer cases

• It is estimated that 2,88,000 new HCV infections occurred in India in 2014

• Prevalence of hepatitis C infection in India is more than 6 times prevalence of HIV infection

Hepatitis infection is a significant global health issue, leading to 350,000 preventable deaths annually primarily due to HCV-associated cirrhosis and liver cancer. Also every year, nearly a lakh people in India are afflicted by Hepatitis C, with an estimated 1 in every 100 people infected by the Hepatitis C virus .

Many people with chronic Hepatitis C do not have symptoms and do not know they are infected. People with chronic Hepatitis C can live for decades without symptoms or feeling sick. When symptoms do appear, they often are a sign of advanced liver disease. Symptoms of Hepatitis C can include: fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, grey-coloured stools, joint pain and/or jaundice.

Dr Ajit Kumar, Head of the gastroenterology wing, NIMS says, “While some people who get infected with Hepatitis C are able to clear or get rid of the virus, most people who get infected develop a chronic or lifelong infection. Over time, chronic Hepatitis C can lead to serious liver problems including liver damage, cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer.”

About 75 out of 100 people who get hepatitis C will develop chronic (long term) infection. About 20 people out of the 75 people who have chronic hepatitis C will become very ill or sick. It usually takes many years to severely damage the liver. Hepatitis C is usually spread when blood from a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. This can happen through multiple ways.

“Today, most people become infected with the Hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. People have also become infected with the Hepatitis C virus from body piercing or tattoos that were done in prisons, homes, or in other unlicensed or informal facilities. In rare cases, Hepatitis C may be sexually transmitted.

Babies born to mothers with Hepatitis C can get infected during childbirth. Usually many people do not know how or when they get infected. Also people sharing an infected person's razor or toothbrush or nail trimmer can get infected” says Dr P N Rao, HOD, Medical Gastroenterology, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology.

Hepatitis C is diagnosed by various blood tests conducted and also sometimes liver biopsy is done to check whether it has affected liver health. Dr Prabhakar B, HOD, Osmania says, “Though there is no vaccination for it but it can be cured in most patients with newer oral drugs. The latest is a once-daily pill that cures the disease in most people in 12-24 weeks.”