Hepatitis C
What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that attacks your liver. The hepatitis C virus spreads through contact with infected blood. This infection causes inflammation in the liver, which can lead to serious damage over time.
Many people with hepatitis C do not know they have it. The virus can live in your body for years without causing obvious symptoms. During this time, it can quietly damage your liver. Some people clear the virus naturally, but most develop a chronic infection that lasts for life without treatment.
Chronic hepatitis C can lead to scarring of the liver, also called cirrhosis. It can also cause liver failure or liver cancer. The good news is that modern antiviral medications can cure hepatitis C in most people. Early detection through blood testing helps you start treatment before serious liver damage occurs.
Symptoms
Many people with hepatitis C have no symptoms for years or even decades. When symptoms do appear, they may include:
- Fatigue and feeling tired all the time
- Nausea or loss of appetite
- Pain or discomfort in the upper right abdomen
- Dark colored urine
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes, called jaundice
- Joint pain
- Fever
- Itchy skin
Most people feel completely fine during the early stages of infection. Symptoms usually appear only after the liver has been significantly damaged. This is why regular blood testing is so important, especially if you have risk factors for hepatitis C.
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Causes and risk factors
Hepatitis C spreads when blood from an infected person enters the body of someone who is not infected. The most common way people get hepatitis C is through sharing needles or other equipment used to inject drugs. Healthcare workers can get infected through accidental needle stick injuries. Before 1992, some people got hepatitis C from blood transfusions or organ transplants, but screening tests now prevent this.
Other risk factors include getting tattoos or piercings with unsterilized equipment, sharing personal items like razors or toothbrushes with an infected person, and being born to a mother with hepatitis C. People who received clotting factor concentrates before 1987 are also at risk. Sexual transmission is possible but less common. The virus does not spread through casual contact like hugging, kissing, or sharing food.
How it's diagnosed
Hepatitis C is diagnosed through blood tests. The first test looks for hepatitis C antibody in your blood. Antibodies are proteins your immune system makes to fight the virus. A positive antibody test means you have been exposed to hepatitis C at some point. It does not tell you if you currently have an active infection.
If your antibody test is positive, your doctor will order a follow-up test to check for active virus in your blood. This test measures the amount of virus present. Additional tests may include liver function tests and imaging to assess liver damage. Rite Aid offers hepatitis C antibody testing as an add-on to help you understand your risk. Getting tested is the first step toward protecting your liver health.
Treatment options
Treatment for hepatitis C has improved dramatically in recent years. Options include:
- Direct-acting antiviral medications that cure hepatitis C in 8 to 12 weeks for most people
- Regular monitoring of liver function through blood tests
- Avoiding alcohol, which can speed up liver damage
- Maintaining a healthy weight to reduce stress on the liver
- Getting vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B to prevent additional liver infections
- Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
- Staying hydrated and getting regular physical activity
- Avoiding medications or supplements that can harm the liver
If you test positive for hepatitis C, see a doctor who specializes in liver disease. They can create a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Most people who complete antiviral treatment are cured and no longer have the virus in their blood.
Need testing for Hepatitis C? Add it to your panel.
- Simple blood draw at your nearest lab
- Results in days, not weeks
- Share results with your doctor
Frequently asked questions
Most people with hepatitis C have no symptoms, especially in the early years. The only way to know if you have it is through a blood test that checks for hepatitis C antibody. If you have risk factors like past injection drug use or received a blood transfusion before 1992, talk to your doctor about testing.
Some people, about 15 to 25 percent, clear the virus naturally within the first six months after infection. However, most people develop a chronic infection that does not go away without treatment. Even if you cleared the virus naturally, antibodies will remain in your blood, so you will still test positive for hepatitis C antibody.
Yes, hepatitis C is curable with modern antiviral medications. Treatment typically lasts 8 to 12 weeks and cures more than 95 percent of people. Once cured, the virus is no longer detectable in your blood and you are not contagious.
You can have hepatitis C for decades without knowing it. Many people do not develop symptoms until their liver has been significantly damaged. This is why screening is so important, especially for people born between 1945 and 1965, who have the highest rates of infection.
A positive hepatitis C antibody test means you have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus at some point in your life. It could mean you currently have an active infection, or that you cleared the virus in the past. You will need a follow-up test to determine if the virus is still present in your blood.
No, you cannot get hepatitis C from casual contact. The virus does not spread through hugging, kissing, coughing, sneezing, or sharing food and drinks. It spreads only through contact with infected blood.
All adults should get tested at least once in their lifetime, according to current guidelines. You should definitely get tested if you ever injected drugs, received a blood transfusion before 1992, are on long-term dialysis, or were born to a mother with hepatitis C. Healthcare workers with needle stick injuries should also get tested.
Untreated hepatitis C can lead to serious liver problems over time. About 20 to 30 percent of people with chronic hepatitis C develop cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, within 20 to 30 years. Some people go on to develop liver failure or liver cancer, which can be life threatening.
There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, but you can reduce your risk. Never share needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment. Make sure tattoo and piercing equipment is properly sterilized. Do not share personal items like razors or toothbrushes that might have blood on them. Healthcare workers should always follow safety protocols to prevent needle stick injuries.
Many people with hepatitis C live normal, active lives, especially if they catch the infection early and get treatment. Until you start treatment, avoid alcohol and talk to your doctor before taking any new medications or supplements. Once cured, you can return to all normal activities without restrictions.