- Symptoms of Hepatitis C
- How the transmission happens
- How to prevent Hepatitis C
- Hepatitis C Treatment
Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver caused by the Hepatitis C virus, HCV, which is transmitted mainly through the sharing of syringes and needles for drug use, personal care, making tattoos or putting on piercings. HCV infection can lead to both acute and chronic clinical manifestations. Thus, people infected with this virus may have no symptoms for years or symptoms of disease progression, such as yellow eyes and skin, which indicate that the liver is more compromised.
Hepatitis C rarely cures on its own, so treatment with drugs is always recommended. Although there is no vaccine against Hepatitis C, transmission of the disease can be avoided through the use of condoms (condoms) in all sexual relations and by avoiding sharing needles and syringes.
Symptoms of Hepatitis C
Most people infected with HCV have no symptoms and are carriers of the virus without their knowledge. However, about 30% of HCV carriers may have symptoms that can be confused with those of other diseases, such as fever, nausea, vomiting and poor appetite, for example. Despite this, about 45 days after infection with the virus, more specific symptoms may appear, such as:
- Abdominal pain, pain in muscles and joints; Dark urine and light stools; Yellowish color of the skin and eyes.
If any of the symptoms is noticed, it is important to go to the doctor to make the diagnosis and start treatment as soon as possible, avoiding future complications. The diagnosis is made by means of serological tests to identify the virus in the blood, in addition to being asked to measure the liver enzymes that indicate inflammation in the liver when they are altered.
Learn more about the symptoms of hepatitis C.
How the transmission happens
Transmission of the HCV virus occurs through contact with blood or secretions contaminated with the virus, such as semen or vaginal secretions with a person who has several sexual partners, during intimate contact without a condom.
Hepatitis C can also be transmitted by sharing needles and syringes, which are common among injecting drug users, by doing piercings and tattoos with contaminated material, and by sharing razors, toothbrushes or manicure or pedicure tools.
Another form of contamination is the blood transfusion carried out before 1993, when the blood could not yet be tested against hepatitis C, therefore, all people who received blood before that year, should be tested because they may be contaminated.
Although the chances of contamination of the baby during pregnancy are very small, there may be contamination during delivery.
How to prevent Hepatitis C
Prevention can be done through simple measures such as:
- Use condoms in all intimate contact; Do not share syringes, needles and razors that can cut the skin; Require disposable material when piercing, tattooing, acupuncture and going to the manicure or pedicure;
As there is no vaccine for hepatitis C yet, the only way to prevent the disease is to avoid its forms of transmission.
Hepatitis C Treatment
Treatment for hepatitis C should be guided by a hepatologist or infectious disease and consists of taking medications such as Interferon associated with Ribavirin, however these have serious side effects, which can hinder treatment. Understand more about treatment for hepatitis.
In addition, food is very important and helps to keep the liver healthy, avoiding complications of hepatitis C, such as cirrhosis. See in the video below some tips on eating in hepatitis:
