Health ConditionsInfectious DiseasesHepatitis C

Hepatitis C

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Hepatitis C is a viral infection of the liver that can lead to inflammation and severe liver complications, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. After being infected with the hepatitis C virus, you may not experience any symptoms for years (or even decades), although some people do have nonspecific symptoms like fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle or joint aches, and yellowing of the skin and eyes, known as jaundice.

 Hepatitis C transmits from person to person via contact with blood containing the virus, most commonly when people share needles or other drug paraphernalia. Fortunately, hepatitis C is usually curable with antiviral medications. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent long-term liver damage.

Common Questions & Answers

How is hepatitis C spread?

A person can acquire hepatitis C when they come into contact with blood that carries the virus. This often occurs by sharing needles or other drug paraphernalia. Unsterile tattoo needles, shared personal hygiene items, and unprotected sex can also transmit hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C is often curable by taking antivirals early to prevent complications. Up to 20 percent of people with acute hepatitis C clear the virus without treatment in six months — however, hepatitis C often becomes chronic and causes complications if it’s not treated.

Many people with hepatitis C have no symptoms, while others may experience fatigue, nausea and vomiting, dark urine, fever, joint or muscle pain, and jaundice. Symptoms can take years to develop. Screening can rule out hepatitis C in those without symptoms.

Healthcare professionals diagnose hepatitis C with blood tests that detect the virus. Consider hepatitis C testing if you have a history of injecting drugs, are pregnant, live with HIV, or have other risk factors for exposure.

Avoid sharing needles or other drug paraphernalia, practice safe sex or avoid sexual contact with people who have hepatitis C, and if you get any tattoos or piercings, only do so at regulated facilities that sterilize their equipment. There is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C.

Meet Our Experts In Hepatitis C
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Everyday Health’s team of board-certified physicians and health professionals contribute to the creation and review of content, ensuring that the information is useful, up-to-date, and accurate.

Jonathan G. Stine, MD, MSc, FACP

Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Doctor

Jonathan Stine, MD, MSc, FACP, is an associate professor of medicine and public health science at Penn State in State College, Pennsylvania.

As an internationally recognized liver expert with a research and clinical focus on metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and exercise, he has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed papers, including multinational consensus guidelines.

Dr. Stine is the recipient of multiple research grants and awards from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the American Cancer Society, and has maintained continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health since 2018.

Stine is the MASLD consultant to the American College of Sports Medicine’s “Exercise is Medicine” initiative, and recently co-chaired the International Roundtable on MASLD and Physical Activity for ACSM. He serves as the Fatty Liver Program director as well as the Liver Center Research director for Penn State.

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Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Hepatitis C. Mayo Clinic. August 23, 2023.
  2. Hepatitis C. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

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