Over time, though, hepatitis C can gradually damage the liver and cause complications such as cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. (2) If you think that you’ve been infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), it’s important to get tested and diagnosed so you can get treated. The virus spreads through contact with an infected person’s blood. Hepatitis C can develop in any person, but certain people are at greater risk of infection. This includes those who’ve used needles to inject drugs, those who’ve had blood transfusions prior to 1992, children born to mothers diagnosed with hepatitis C, anyone who’s received a tattoo with unsterilized equipment, those with multiple sexual partners (particularly if a sex partner has the infection), and healthcare workers exposed to an infected person’s blood or other bodily fluid. (1) In 46 percent of cases, according to a study, the virus clears on its own, without medication. But more than half of people develop chronic infections. Fortunately, hepatitis C can be cured. After 8 to 12 weeks of antiviral therapy, about 90 percent of people no longer have the virus in their body. (2) But before they can begin treatment, a doctor must test for and diagnose the disease. Before beginning testing, your doctor may ask about your medical history and any symptoms you’re experiencing. “Most people get a trivial illness that they don’t even notice, but occasionally, people develop classic clinical hepatitis with muscle aches, fatigue, and jaundice,” says Glenn Englander, MD, a board-certified internal medicine doctor and gastroenterologist practicing in Palm Beach County, Florida. Other symptoms of hepatitis C can include: (1)
FeverDark urineStomach painLoss of appetiteJoint painNauseaClay-colored stools
Your doctor may ask questions about your lifestyle to assess your risk, too. This includes whether you’ve ever had a blood transfusion or organ transplant, injected drugs, shared personal care items such as razors or toothbrushes, or had unprotected sex. They may even ask whether your mother has been diagnosed with hepatitis C. Exposure creates antibodies in your bloodstream, even when HCV is no longer in your body because your immune system killed off the virus. (4) With acute hepatitis, “symptoms occur soon after exposure to the virus,” says Dr. Englander. These symptoms may develop within months of exposure, but only last a few weeks or a few months. Typically, an antibody test will come back positive within 8 to 11 weeks after exposure, according to the CDC, although some people may not test positive for antibodies until six months after exposure. (2) If your first test comes back negative, your doctor may suggest retesting in the future. Knowing the strain of the virus is important in helping your doctor determine the most appropriate course of treatment. Your doctor may conduct another test, which measures the amount of liver enzymes in your bloodstream. Some liver enzymes are elevated in blood when there’s liver damage. This test checks for two main enzymes: ALT (alanine aminotransferase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase). (5) Keep in mind, though, that elevated liver enzymes don’t always indicate liver problems due to hepatitis C. Liver enzymes can go up and down because of various factors. For this reason, someone diagnosed with chronic hepatitis can have a liver enzyme level that’s normal or near normal, whereas a person who doesn’t have hepatitis C can have elevated enzymes for other reasons. (5) Certain medications can cause elevated enzymes, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and drugs used to control cholesterol. A larger waist circumference can also cause elevated liver enzymes if there’s excess fat stored in your liver cells. (6) Your doctor may even recommend an ultrasound or another imaging test to check your liver for cirrhosis. A biopsy, which removes a sample of tissue from your liver, can confirm cirrhosis. Your doctor can also schedule a biopsy and imaging test to check for liver cancer. (2,3)
Final Word
Even though it is possible to detect HCV in the blood about two weeks after exposure, you can also have the virus for years or decades without knowing it. (2) So testing is important. If you think you’ve been exposed to the hepatitis C virus, call your doctor right away to start the process. Additional reporting by Valencia Higuera.
