HealthInfo Canterbury

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a virus that causes inflammation of your liver. The virus is carried in blood and can only be passed to someone through blood-to-blood contact. This happens when the blood of an infected person enters the bloodstream of an uninfected person. The most common way this occurs is through sharing needles.

People at risk of getting hepatitis C include those who:

• share needles or other equipment to inject drugs
• received a blood transfusion before 1992
• have had tattoos or body piercing, especially in unlicensed facilities or with non-sterile equipment
• have had a needlestick injury in the course of their work, such as health professionals who have been accidentally pierced with a used needle
• have lived in, or received healthcare, in South East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East or Eastern Europe
• have been in prison and used non-sterile needles or been involved in unsafe tattooing practice
• have lived in close contact with a person diagnosed with hepatitis C
• were born to a mother with hepatitis C (low risk of transmission).

Preventing hepatitis C

There is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C but there are things you can do to avoid becoming infected and spreading the hepatitis C infection.

Hepatitis C is not spread through food or close personal contact, such as handshaking, hugging and kissing. It is spread when the blood from an infected person enters the bloodstream of an uninfected person. To avoid this happening:

• do not share needles or syringes
• do not share personal items, such as toothbrushes or razors
• clean and cover any cuts or grazes with a waterproof dressing
• clean any blood from surfaces with household bleach
• avoid sexual practices that might risk blood contact such as during menstruation or if you have genital ulcers.

Symptoms of hepatitis C

Many people with hepatitis C do not have symptoms and do not know they are infected.

If they do have symptoms, they can appear anytime from two weeks to six months after infection. In some cases it can take many years for symptoms to develop.

Symptoms may include:

• fever
• feeling tired
• lack of appetite
• joint pain
• upset stomach
• vomiting
• dark urine
• grey-coloured poo
• yellow skin and eyes.

Diagnosing hepatitis C

The only way to know if you have hepatitis C is to get tested. This involves two blood tests:

• The first test is to see if you have hepatitis C antibodies. If this test is positive, it means that you have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus sometime in your life. This may have been within the past few months or many years ago.
• The second test if to find out if you have a hepatitis C infection now. If this test is positive, your doctor will send you for another blood test or a simple and painless liver scan called a FibroScan. This will give information about the health of your liver.

You can get tested at your GP surgery or at the Hepatitis C Community Clinic.

Treating hepatitis C

Hepatitis can lead to liver cancer if it is not treated. Treatments for hepatitis C can cure more than 90% of people infected with the virus after eight to 12 weeks of treatment. The names of these treatments are glecaprevir and pibrentasvir (Maviret) and ledipasvir with sofosbuvir (Harvoni).

While you are taking treatment for hepatitis C it’s also important to look after the health of your liver by:

• Eating well.
• Limiting or avoiding alcohol. Once infected with hepatitis C your liver is already weakened. So drinking, even in small amounts, can raise your chance of getting serious liver disease.
• Only taking medications or supplements prescribed by your doctor. Tell your doctor about any other over-the-counter medicines, herbal remedies or recreational drugs you may be taking as some of these may damage your liver.

It can also help to stay a healthy weight, not smoke and get vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B. This is because being overweight, smoking and having more then one type of hepatitis can increase the chances of your liver being damaged if you have hepatitis C.

You are considered cured when no hepatitis C virus is found in your blood three months after your treatment has finished.

Your GP may be able to get funding to help with your treatment costs. Check with your GP.

  HealthInfo recommends the following pages

• Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand – Hepatitis C and Hepatitis C resources

  Information about hepatitis C, including where to go for help. You can phone their helpline on 0800-332-010.

• Ministry of Health
  • Hepatitis C

    These web pages are more detailed and have information on symptoms, treatment and living with hepatitis C if you have it long-term.

  • Understanding and getting cured from Hepatitis C

    This leaflet explains what hepatitis C is, who is at risk, how to avoid infecting others and how it's treated.

Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed July 2021.

Sources

Page reference: 55301

Review key: HIHEP-49691