Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) - Catriona Bonthron

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT HEPATITIS C.

Approximately 5 million people are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), and 26,000 people die of liver disease each year due, in part, to a lack of information about preventive care. Hepatitis C is a contagious virus, sometimes symptomless, with a high concentration in both the Latino and Asian communities. Recent studies show that more Latinos die from liver disease than do any other minority group. If HCV is not treated early, it can cause serious damage to the liver, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Today, hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States.

(1) WHAT IS CHRONIC HEPATITIS C? Chronic hepatitis C is a viral illness that affects the liver. Hepatitis is a swelling or inflammation of the liver. In 1990, an antibody to the hepatitis C virus was identified, but before then, the illness was known as "non-A, non-B hepatitis." The term chronic means that the person has had the illness for more than six months.

(2) HOW DO I GET HEPATITIS C? Hepatitis C is spread by blood-to-blood contact. This means that the hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be spread by exposing the blood in your system to an inflected person's blood. Some of the most common ways of spreading the virus are: blood transfusions, intravenous drug use, tattooing, body piercing, sharing needles and sexual contact.

(3) WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HEPATITIS C? Most people who have HCV do not know they have the illness. Most are free of symptoms. In many people, the presence of symptoms does not bear any relationship to the extent of the illness. In other words, someone with very mild HCV can describe many of the symptoms, while another person who has a much more advanced case of the disease does not have any symptoms. It is very individual. Some of the more common symptoms include: extreme fatigue, itching, joint pain.

(4) HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE HEPATITIS C? Usually, people with HCV are diagnosed because the liver enzymes in their blood are above normal limits, and their doctors do more blood tests to find the cause. Others test positive while donating blood. You are at risk for hepatitis C if you:

- Use/used intranasal cocaine

- Use/used intravenous drugs

- Have tattoos/body piercing

- Had a blood transfusion before 1992

- Shared a toothbrush

- Had unprotected sex

- Are a health-care worker

- Served time in jail

(5) HOW CAN I PREVENT GIVING THIS DISEASE TO SOMEONE ELSE? There is no need for anyone with HCV to be socially isolated. Because HCV is spread through blood-to-blood contact, people with HCV should take some precautions. They include:

- Do not donate blood.

- Let anyone who is in contact with your blood know that you are HCV-positive. This includes dentists, blood technicians and nurses.

- Do not share razors or toothbrushes.

- Do not share needles or other equipment if you are using intravenous drugs.

(6) AM I GOING TO DIE IF I HAVE HEPATITIS C? Most people who have HCV have a normal life span. However, there is still much information to be learned about HCV. In approximately 10 percent of people with chronic HCV, the disease will gradually progress over 10 to 30 years to include scarring or cirrhosis of the liver. In a small number of these people, HCV can to cancer of the liver and / or death.

(7) CAN I GIVE HEPATITIS C TO MY CHILD WHILE I AM PREGNANT OR BREAST-FEEDING? It is very unlikely that pregnant women with hepatitis C can transmit the virus to their baby either in the womb or at childbirth. At the present time, it is not known whether HCV can be spread from a mother to her baby through breast milk. However, the likelihood is very small, and liver specialists recommend that mothers breast-feed their babies if that is what they want.

(8) IF THERE ARE NO SYMPTOMS, WHY SHOULD I WORRY? Hepatitis is a disease that can do permanent damage to your liver. Sometimes it takes as long as 40 years for this damage to occur, but it can happen in much less time too. Hepatitis is very unpredictable. Unfortunately, the signs of hepatitis often do not occur until there is damage to the liver. Hepatitis is the No. 1 reason that people need liver transplants in the United States. It can also cause cancer of the liver called hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis can also cause scarring of the liver. When there is scarring, the liver can't do its job. You cannot live without a liver.

(9) IS THERE A VACCINE OR TREATMENT FOR HEPATITIS C? Presently, there is no vaccine for HCV. Treatment varies, depending on the extent of the disease. For most people, some lifestyle changes are sufficient. This includes eating nutritiously and refraining from alcohol use. For some people with a more active disease, doctors may prescribe Intron-A, the most widely studied brand of alpha interferon. This is a medication that has been approved for treating HCV. The National Institute of Health suggests treatment for at least 12 months for HCV.

(10) WHAT ABOUT SIDE EFFECTS? The most common side effects of interferon treatment are "flu-like" symptoms, depression, headache and decreased appetite. The flu-like symptoms can be helped by taking Tylenol, taking the interferon at bedtime, and drinking plenty of fluids. These side effects; go away after the first two or three weeks of treatment. Doctors and nurses keep a close watch on your blood to make sure your white blood cells (infection fighters) and platelets (blood clutters) are at good levels.

(11) WHAT IF I DON'T TAKE THE MEDICATION? About 20-30 percent of untreated patients will develop cirrhosis over a period of years. Liver transplantation has become an accepted form of therapy when chronic hepatitis becomes life-threatening. This usually happens as a result of the complications of cirrhosis. Unfortunately, the transplant is not a cure. The hepatitis virus usually reoccurs in the new liver, too. There are more people waiting for liver transplants than there are livers available. The best approach is to get tested and get treated to prevent cirrhosis from ever starting.

(12) HOW DO I GET MORE INFORMATION? On March 19,1998, Debbie Delgado Vega, founder and chairperson of L.O.L.A., announced the beginning of a comprehensive lifesaving, public-education campaign designed to fight the hepatitis C virus among Latinos living in the Bronx and other communities. The purpose of the campaign, called "Hepatitis C: A Deadly Virus: Get Tested, Get Treated," is to increase awareness of hepatitis C among Latinos and all New Yorkers. Rudy Giuliani, mayor of the City of New York, in recognition of this important observance, proclaimed the month of April 1998, in the City of New York "HEPATITIS AWARENESS MONTH."

For more information on hepatitis, treatment, and names of doctors in your area, call 1-888-367-LOLA

This Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) page is part of the Newspaper In Education program at the New York Post. Teachers receive newpapers and lesson plans involving information on this page. The concept: show that learning can be fun and useful in real-life interests. Newspapers, provided by sponsors for thousands of students, are delivered each Wednesday. If you are interested in participating in our program as a sponsor or teacher, contact Catriona Bonthron: (212) 930-8178.