Everything You Want To Know About Hepatitis C - Healthline

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Key takeaways

Hepatitis C is a liver inflammation caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is transmitted through blood contact. It can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term).
Symptoms of hepatitis C can range from fever and fatigue to jaundice and abdominal pain, but many people with chronic hepatitis C may not experience symptoms until liver damage occurs.
Hepatitis C can be cured with antiviral medications, but without treatment, it can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer. Regular testing is recommended for those at higher risk.

What is hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver that develops after contracting the hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV is bloodborne, which means you can only transmit or contract it through blood that carries it.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates around 58 million people globally are living with chronic hepatitis C.

In the United States, hepatitis C is among the most common types of hepatitis, along with hepatitis A and B. There are vaccines to prevent hepatitis A and B, but a vaccine to prevent hepatitis C doesn’t yet exist.

Stages of hepatitis C

Hepatitis C can be either acute or chronic.

Doctors generally define acute hepatitis C as the first 6 months after infection. It is most often asymptomatic. Any symptoms you experience may appear within 2–12 weeks after exposure, and they could clear up on their own.

Chronic hepatitis C symptoms, on the other hand, can develop (and worsen) over months or even years. You might not notice any symptoms until they become severe.

Left untreated, hepatitis C can cause serious, even life threatening complications, including:

liver scarring (cirrhosis)
liver failure
liver cancer

What are the symptoms of hepatitis C?

Symptoms may develop 2–12 weeks after exposure. The first 6 months after infection are considered acute.

Acute hepatitis C may cause:

fever
fatigue
nausea or stomach pain
loss of appetite
yellowed skin or eyes (jaundice)

If your body doesn’t clear the virus, acute hepatitis C will become chronic. An estimated 55–85% of people who contract HCV will eventually develop chronic hepatitis C.

Chronic hepatitis C may cause:

difficulty concentrating or remembering things (brain fog)
difficulty sleeping
general weakness (malaise)
joint pain and muscle aches
unexpected mood changes, including feelings of anxiety or depression
unexplained weight loss

These symptoms might affect you most of the time or improve for a while and then worsen.

With chronic hepatitis C, you could also notice some symptoms of liver scarring and liver disease, including:

indigestion, bloating, and stomach pain
swelling in your feet and legs (edema)
stool that’s gray or pale
urine that’s darker than usual

What causes hepatitis C, and who’s at risk?

Hepatitis C is a liver disease that occurs due to HCV infection. HCV transmits through blood-to-blood contact.

This can happen as a result of:

using nonsterile needles, syringes, and other supplies to inject or inhale
pregnancy or childbirth
oral, vaginal, or anal sex without a condom or other barrier method
getting a tattoo or a piercing with nonsterile equipment
sharing personal hygiene items, like razors or toothbrushes

You have an increased risk of HCV infection if you:

have used injection drugs
have a sexual partner with hepatitis C
have HIV
received hemodialysis treatment for an extended period
received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992
received clotting factor concentrates or other blood products before 1987

It’s important to consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional if you suspect that you’ve had exposure to HCV. You can contract HCV more than once.

How is hepatitis C diagnosed?

Your healthcare professional will order blood tests to check for the virus, starting with an antibody test.

If you’ve ever had an HCV infection, your body will make hepatitis C antibodies part of its immune response. It may take 2–3 months after exposure for the test to detect antibodies.

If the antibody test is positive, a nucleic acid test for ribonucleic acid (RNA) can tell your healthcare professional whether the virus is currently active.

In the event of an active HCV infection, tests to measure the amount of virus in your blood (viral load) and determine which genotype you have will guide an effective treatment plan.

If blood test results suggest chronic hepatitis C or your healthcare professional believes you could have liver damage, they’ll order a liver function test. This test checks your blood for signs of heightened enzymes in your liver.

A type of scan called ultrasound elastography can be used to assess liver damage.

A liver biopsy can also check for liver damage. A biopsy involves taking a small piece of tissue from your liver and testing it for cell abnormalities.

How is hepatitis C treated?

Oral medications called direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) work to remove HCV from your body and reduce the risk of liver damage.

Treatment often includes two or more DAAs taken in combination. Some treatments are available as pills containing two or more drugs.

Common brand names include:

Zepatier
Harvoni
Epclusa
Vosevi
Mavyret

A typical course of treatment lasts 12–24 weeks.

Is hepatitis C curable?
Treatment can cure hepatitis C 95% of the time. Healthcare professionals consider the condition cured when tests can’t detect the virus in your blood 12 weeks after treatment ends.

What complications are possible with hepatitis C?

HCV infection causes liver inflammation. Over time, this damage can cause permanent scarring, known as cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis interferes with blood flow and prevents your liver from functioning effectively. An estimated 15–30% of people with chronic hepatitis C develop cirrhosis within 20 years.

Untreated or unmanaged cirrhosis can lead to:

increased pressure in the veins that supply blood to your liver (portal hypertension)
fluid buildup in the abdomen (ascites), which can lead to a severe infection called bacterial peritonitis
fluid buildup in the legs (edema)
an enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)
enlarged veins (varices) in the esophagus or stomach, which can lead to life threatening bleeding (variceal hemorrhage)

Advanced liver disease can also lead to:

bone disease
gum disease (periodontitis)
liver cancer
malnutrition
toxin buildup in your brain (hepatic encephalopathy)

It takes a long time for chronic hepatitis C to cause liver failure. Liver failure or end stage liver disease, happens slowly over months, often years. When your liver becomes unable to function properly, you’ll need a transplant.

What can you do to reduce your risk of HCV infection and hepatitis C?

Experts have yet to develop an effective hepatitis C vaccine, though research continues.

Currently, the best way to reduce your risk of infection is to avoid using any items that may have come into contact with someone else’s blood.

You can do this by:

not sharing razors, nail clippers, toothbrushes, needles, or syringes
only getting tattoos or piercings at licensed facilities
wearing gloves when cleaning or treating someone else’s wound
using condoms or other barrier methods during sex

If you think you could have hepatitis C, getting tested right away doesn’t just help you get treatment. It can also help you avoid transmitting the virus to others.

The bottom line

You can contract HCV through blood-to-blood contact with someone who has the virus. While your body might clear an acute infection without treatment, hepatitis C often develops into a chronic condition.

Prompt diagnosis and treatment can help reduce the risk of long-term complications, including severe liver damage and liver failure.

Regular hepatitis C screenings can help with early detection. Consult with a healthcare professional to develop a screening schedule tailored to your individual level of risk.

Read this article in Spanish.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Hepatitis C. (2020).https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/liver-disease/viral-hepatitis/hepatitis-c
Hepatitis C [Fact sheet]. (2023).https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-c
Hepatitis C questions and answers for the public. (2023).https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcv/cfaq.htm
The hunt for a vaccine for hepatitis C virus continues. (2021).https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langas/article/PIIS2468-1253(21)00073-X/fulltext

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Medically reviewed by Michaela Murphy, PA-C — Written by April Kahn and Erika Klein — Updated on March 26, 2024

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Key takeaways

What is hepatitis C?

Stages of hepatitis C

What are the symptoms of hepatitis C?

What causes hepatitis C, and who’s at risk?

How is hepatitis C diagnosed?

How is hepatitis C treated?

What complications are possible with hepatitis C?

What can you do to reduce your risk of HCV infection and hepatitis C?

The bottom line

How we reviewed this article:

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