Brief understanding of the hepatitis C infection

Hepatitis C is an infection caused by bacteria that leads to the inflammation of the liver. The initial phase of this infection is easy to miss as there are no identifiable or noticeable symptoms of a Hepatitis C infection. Hepatitis C is a slow-acting virus that results in chronic illness in most people. The impact of this infection is different for different people.

What is chronic hepatitis C?

• When a hepatitis C infection stays untreated for more than six months, it becomes chronic.
• Some symptoms of hepatitis C that may show up after months or years include loss of appetite, mild to severe tiredness, soreness under the ribs, nausea and vomiting, fever, skin rashes, joint pain or swelling, excess moodiness, and depression.
• Chronic hepatitis C is common among people who have the hepatitis C infection. More than 70% of the people infected by hepatitis C develop a chronic condition. Out of this, around 15 to 20% develop cirrhosis.
• Cirrhosis is a severe scarring of the liver and some people may develop liver cancer from this condition.

What are the different types of Hepatitis C?

There are essentially 6 different types of hepatitis C related to different genomes. Though Hepatitis C is categorized into different genomes, the categorization does not represent severity as all types of hepatitis C have similar impact on the body. However, the different categories indicate how the illness would respond to different treatments and interventions. Based on the genomes, following are the different genomes of hepatitis C infections:

• Genotype 1a
• Genotype 1b
• Genotype 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d
• Genotype 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, and 3f
• Genotype 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g, 4h, 4i and 4j
• Genotype 5a
• Genotype 6a

What are the causes of hepatitis C?

It is possible to contract hepatitis C infection by coming in contact with the blood and other bodily fluids of an infected person. Here are some causes of hepatitis C:

• Drugs through injection – Injecting drugs, especially recreational drugs as well as performance-enhancing drugs that include anabolic steroids, often leads to a higher risk of contracting and transmitting a hepatitis C infection.
• Unprotected sex – Since this infection can be caused by an exchange of bodily fluids, unprotected sex can lead to transmission of this infection.
• Sharing toothbrushes, razors, and scissors – One is more prone to getting the infection by sharing these things with a person who is infected by the hepatitis C infection.
• Tattoo and body piercing – Getting a tattoo done is risky because if the needles are reused, they can pass on the infection from an infected person to an uninfected person.

What are the signs and symptoms of Hepatitis C and are they any different from the symptoms of chronic Hepatitis C?

As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 80% of people with acute or an early stage of hepatitis don’t notice or experience any symptoms. However, some people are able to notice the early signs and get them treated. Here are some signs and symptoms of hepatitis C:

• Fever
• Tiredness
• Poor appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Stomach pain
• Muscle pain or joint pain
• Yellowing of the eyes or skin
• Abnormal bowel or urine movements

The symptoms can be early or delayed. Some people are able to notice the symptoms within the 6 months of contracting the disease, while others may take up to 10 years to notice the symptoms.

Symptoms of chronic hepatitis C are the same as an early stage hepatitis C infection, however, the condition is more serious.