Hepatitis C Treatment

Top Health Doctors Underwood offers Hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment, in conjunction with Mater Hill Gastroenterology Unit, Mater Hospital.

Symptoms of Hepatitis C

Many people may not feel ill when first infected with hepatitis C. Others may find their urine becomes dark and their eyes and skin turn yellow (this is known as jaundice), or they may experience a minor flu-like illness. These symptoms may disappear within a few weeks, but this does not necessarily mean that the infection has been cleared.

20 to 30 % of people who have been infected may clear the virus from their blood with no treatment within six months. These people no longer have the hepatitis C virus and are not infectious, but will still have hepatitis C antibodies in their blood life-long. Hepatitis C antibodies signify past, cleared infection, but do not offer any immunity against hepatitis C so people can become reinfected after clearing the virus, or after treatment.

Chronic Hepatitis C

When the initial infection lasts for more than 6 months, it is called chronic Hepatitis C. Chronic Hepatitis C most often does not cause any symptoms until many years after infection. Symptoms of chronic Hepatitis C can include:

• mild to severe tiredness
• loss of appetite
• nausea and vomiting
• soreness in the upper right side of the stomach (under the ribs)
• fever
• increased moodiness and depression
• joint pain or swelling
• skin rash

In many cases, people who have chronic hepatitis C do not feel ill.

More than 70 per cent of people infected with hepatitis C continue to carry the virus in their blood (that is, they have chronic infection). About 15 to 20 per cent of the people who have chronic hepatitis C will develop cirrhosis, which is severe scarring of the liver.

This may take 20 to 40 years, or more, to develop. A small number of people with cirrhosis may then develop liver cancer.

Spread of Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is spread through blood-to-blood contact. The most common way people become infected with hepatitis C in Australia is by sharing drug-injecting equipment such as needles, syringes, spoons and tourniquets.

Hepatitis C may also be spread through:

• Tattooing and body piercing using equipment that has not been properly cleaned, disinfected or sterilised
• Sharing toothbrushes, razor blades or other similar personal items that could have small amounts of blood on them
• One person’s blood coming into contact with open cuts on another person
• Needle stick injuries in a healthcare setting
• Receiving blood transfusions in Australia prior to February 1990, when hepatitis C virus screening of blood donations was introduced
• Unsterile medical procedures, blood transfusions or blood products and mass immunisation programs provided in a country other than Australia
• Pregnancy or childbirth – there is a 5% chance of a mother with chronic hepatitis C infection passing on the virus to her baby during pregnancy or childbirth. Breastfeeding is safe unless nipples are cracked or bleeding
• Sexual transmission rates of hepatitis C are very low, however the risk is increased with certain sexual practices or circumstances where there is the possibility of blood-to-blood or anorectal fluid-to-blood contact (for example, sex during menstruation, group sex, the use of sex toys, fisting or the use of anorectal douching equipment) that can lead to tears in the mucosal membrane or exposure of open cuts or wounds on the skin to hepatitis C in anorectal fluid.

Preventing the spread of Hepatitis C

At present, there is no vaccine available to prevent a person from being infected with Hepatitis C. Recommended behaviours to prevent the spread of the virus include:

• Avoid sharing personal items such as toothbrushes, razors, nail files or nail scissors, which can draw blood.
• If you are involved in body piercing, tattooing, electrolysis or acupuncture, always ensure that any instrument that pierces the skin is either ‘single use’ or has been cleaned, disinfected and sterilised since it was last used.
• Healthcare workers should follow standard precautions (infection control guidelines) at all times.
• Wherever possible, wear single-use gloves if you give someone first aid or clean up blood or body fluids.
• Although Hepatitis C is not generally considered to be a sexually transmissible infection in Australia, you may wish to consider ‘safer sex’ practices (using a condom) if blood is going to be present, or if your partner has HIV infection. You may wish to further discuss this issue and personal risks with your doctor.