Hepatitis C - An Overview

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It affects approximately 4 million Americans at a rate of about 35,000 people a year, making it more common than HIV infection. Because hepatitis C often has no symptoms, many people do not know they have the disease and may be infecting others.

Although there is no cure for hepatitis C, much has been learned about the disease in the last 10 years. Today, there are effective treatments available for chronic hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C is spread from person to person through exposure to infected blood. In 85% of HCV cases, the infection stays in the body for several years (known as a chronic infection) and slowly damages the liver.

Chronic hepatitis C can have serious consequences, including liver cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, and even liver cancer. Chronic hepatitis C can be a serious disease if left untreated, but with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, the majority of patients can clear the infection and make a full recovery.

If you would like more information about whether you may or may not have HCV, you should contact a health care professional immediately. Take a risk assessment quiz to find out more about how the disease is contracted.

If you have been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C, join The Be In Charge® Program today. If you would like to find out more details about hepatitis C, go to All About Hepatitis C.