Hepatitis C

There are also special sections on Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B

Hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus, which is also commonly known as HCV.  

Persons with an acute hepatitis C infection often have no symptoms or mild symptoms.

Chronic hepatitis C develops in about two thirds of all cases of acute infection.

Chronic liver disease results in 60-70 percent of those with a chronic hepatitis C infection.

Severe liver disease develops in 10-20 percent of infected persons.

Chronic hepatitis C is the most common reason for liver transplants in the U.S.

It's believed that about 170 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C. That's about 3 percent.

Hepatitis C rates are as high as 15 percent in some countries in Africa and Asia. More than 15 percent of the population of Egypt is believed to be infected with the hepatitis C virus (highest in the world).

How do you get hepatitis C?

The hepatitis C virus is usually transmitted through an exchange of blood.

Hepatitis C is not usually transmitted through sexual contact.

The most common mode of transmitting the hepatitis C virus in the United States is needle sharing by injection drug users.

Hepatitis C risk for travelers

The risk of becoming infected with hepatitis C is generally low for travelers.

Nonetheless, anyone traveling to countries where hepatitis C is highly prevalent should consider how much they may be in direct contact with blood, particularly blood transfusions. Standards of blood screening are not as high in some countries as in the U.S.

Civilian travelers and military personnel should be especially careful if they plan to get tattoos, have any body piercing done, or have any cosmetic procedures done that exposes them to contaminated equipment or needles.

Related articles: Hepatitis C Symptoms, Hepatitis C Treatment, and Hepatitis C Prevention.

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