Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that affects your liver and there is now a cure for hepatitis C that works really well. Without medicine to treat it, hepatitis C can cause liver disease and liver cancer.
Hepatitis C (also called hep C or HCV) is a virus that can cause damage to your liver. If left untreated, it can become chronic, meaning it may stay in your body for life. The good news is simple blood tests can check if you have hepatitis C and effective treatments are available that can cure it.
Learn more about testing for hepatitis C.
A cure for hepatitis C
The latest hepatitis C medicines are simple, safe and very effective for most people, your doctor will help you to decide which direct acting antiviral (DDA) is best for you.
How do you get hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a blood borne virus (BBV), you can get hepatitis C if your blood comes into contact with infected blood. Some of the ways this can happen are:
- sharing needles, syringes or other injecting equipment, including spoons
- tattooing or body piercing with unsterile equipment
- medical procedures with unsterile equipment
- sharing toothbrushes, razors or nail files
If you have hepatitis C when you are pregnant, there is about a 5% chance that you will pass on the virus to your baby. If you are pregnant and have hepatitis C, you should talk to your doctor. If you are thinking about getting pregnant and have hepatitis C, talk to your doctor about curing hepatitis C first.
There isn’t enough information to know if taking medicine for hep C during pregnancy is safe, so it is not recommended as the medicine could harm your baby. If you know you have hep C, your baby should have a blood test after birth to check if the virus was passed on during pregnancy, and once you have finished breastfeeding it is strongly advised that you start hep C treatment to protect your health and wellbeing.
You cannot get hepatitis C from casual contact
You cannot get hepatitis C from:
- hugging or kissing
- sharing food and eating utensils
- eating food made by someone with hepatitis C
- insect or animal bites, eg. mosquitoes
- sharing a bathroom, shower or toilet
- sneezing or coughing
What happens if you get hepatitis C?
If you get hepatitis C, your body will try to fight the virus. You could get an acute or chronic illness.
Acute hepatitis C means the virus might make you sick for a short time but then you get better. Less than 10 in 100 people will have any signs or feel unwell and about 25 in 100 people naturally get rid of the virus. You get chronic hepatitis C if the virus stays in your liver for more than 6 months.
Chronic hepatitis C means the virus stays in your liver for your whole life unless you take medicine for it. You may not feel sick, but over time it could damage your liver. If your liver gets too damaged, it won’t work properly and over many years, liver damage can lead to cirrhosis (severe liver scarring), liver failure or liver cancer. The impact on your health will depend on:
- the age you were when you got the virus
- how much alcohol you drink
- if you have another illness or health issue
Some people have hepatitis C and other viruses at the same time (such as HIV or hepatitis B) if you do, you’re more likely to have a serious long-term illness. It is important to make sure you see your doctor often.
Learn more
Hepatitis Australia has information to understand your rights and responsibilities. To find out more about hepatitis C, contact HepLink on 1800 437 222.