An Emerging Public Health Threat
Hepatitis C, B, and A
Hepatitis C
Diagnosing Chronic Hepatitis C
Major Risk Factors for Hepatitis C and B
An Emerging Public Health Threat
Hepatitis C currently infects about 4 million Americans. Most are unaware of their infection. Hepatitis C infects an additional 30,000 people each year, according to estimates by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Called "an emerging public health threat," hepatitis C is a leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer. Hepatitis C is also now the leading reason for liver transplantation in the United States.
Hepatitis C, B, and A
Of six known hepatitis viruses — C, A, B, D, E, and G — the most common are hepatitis C, B, and A. Hepatitis A (HAV), the least serious form, does not progress to chronic disease. A small proportion of individuals with hepatitis B — 5 to 10% — develops chronic disease.
Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) and B (HBV) are the most common causes of chronic viral hepatitis in the United States, posing serious risks for long-term medical complications, especially if left untreated. Hepatitis C will cause approximately 10,000 deaths annually, and hepatitis B will cause 5,000 deaths, according to estimates by the American Liver Foundation. And unlike other life-threatening illnesses, hepatitis usually claims individuals in their most productive years; almost 50% of deaths occur before the age of 60.
Hepatitis C progresses to a chronic disease in about 85% of individuals who contract acute hepatitis C. About 20% of those patients will develop cirrhosis after 20 years with hepatitis C. The risk of developing liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, HCC) following cirrhosis is 1 to 4% each year, not overall risk. This means that, if 100,000 patients are cirrhotic, 1000-4000 will develop HCC each year, a total of 10,000 to 40,000 at the end of 10 years.
Although hepatitis C, B, and A remain diseases that warrant better preventive measures, some progress has been made. Vaccines exist for hepatitis A & B. Hepatitis C has no vaccine, but progress has been made in the areas of better diagnostic techniques and more effective treatments for the disease.
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a slow, progressive virus that can cause liver injury over years, even decades, often without specific symptoms. Symptoms of hepatitis C may include loss of appetite, fatigue, decreased exercise tolerance, arthralgia, vomiting, stomach pain, depression and — in rare cases — jaundice. Chronic fatigue is the most salient symptom.
Hepatitis C has an average incubation period of 6 to 7 weeks, with a range extending from 2 weeks to 26 weeks. Symptomatic illness develops in about 30 to 40% of individuals with acute infection; 20 to 30% will have jaundice.
Major Risk Factors for Hepatitis C and B
Hepatitis C
- Hemophilia patients who received clotting agents prior to 1987
- Hemodialysis
- Organ transplant prior to 1992
- IV drug use
- Blood transfusion prior to 1992
- Needle-stick injury
- Tattooing with contaminated needles
- Body piercing
- Sexual activity with multiple partners
- Hemodialysis
- Patients of custodial institutions for developmentally disabled
- Exposure to blood/blood clot products
- Needle-stick injury
- Sexual activity with multiple (heterosexual or homosexual) partners
- IV drug use
- Infants of HBV-positive mothers
- Tattooing with contaminated needles
- Body piercing
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