HEPATITIS C is a blood-borne viral infection.
There is no vaccine to prevent it, but treatment can clear it in about half those infected.
Most people do not experience symptoms when they are first infected, but may develop flu-like symptoms some weeks later.
In 20 percent of cases, the vir
us is cleared from the body by the immune system within six months and some that are infected may not develop damage or problems.
Others could suffer symptoms of liver damage, such as muscle aches, tiredness, nausea, alcohol intolerance, pain over the liver and jaundice.
Approximately 20 percent of those with chronic hepatitis C develop cirrhosis — a scarring of the liver — and some develop liver cancer or complete liver failure.
The infection is most commonly caused by drug users sharing contaminated needles, but there is a risk from blood transfusions abroad, blood donations in the UK before September 1991, transfer of bodily fluids, sharing toothbrushes, scissors or razors, piercing equipment that has not been properly sterilised, mother to child infection and needle injury.
Hepatitis C is diagnosed by a blood test that can detect antibodies, but it cannot be confirmed for some months until the body produces the antibodies.
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