Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that primarily affects the liver. HCV is spread through contact with infected blood, such as through intravenous drug use, unsafe medical procedures, and sexual or household contact with an infected person. Most people infected with HCV develop chronic hepatitis C, where the virus remains in the body, often for life. Chronic hepatitis C can cause serious damage to the liver, leading to complications like cirrhosis or liver cancer. While there is no vaccine, hepatitis C can be cured through antiviral treatment. Prevention focuses on avoiding contact with infected blood and getting tested if engaging in risky behaviors.

2. HEPATITIS C, CAUSES,
TRANSMISSION AND
MANAGEMENT

4. CONTENTS
 What is hepatitis?
 Types of Hepatitis
 Hepatitis C
 Hepatitis C Virus
 Phases of Hepatitis C
 Symptoms of Hepatitis C
 Causes of Hepatitis C
 Risk factors
 Complications
 HCV Transmission
 Management of Hepatitis C
 Diagnosis
 Treatment
 Prevention
 Reference

5. WHAT IS HEPATITIS?
 Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the
liver.
 Caused by a viral infection.
 Other possible causes of hepatitis include
autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis that occurs as
a secondary result of medications, drugs, toxins,
and alcohol.

6. HEPATITIS C
 Hepatitis is a general term that means
inflammation of the liver.
 The Ancient Greek word hepa refers to the
liver, and titis means inflammation.

7. HEPATITIS C VIRUS:
 Hepatitis C is a potentially contagious, but
curable disease caused by a virus that infects the
liver.
 HCV can cause lifelong infection, fibrosis,
cirrhosis, liver cancer, liver failure, and death.
 HCV is a small (55–65 nm in
size), enveloped, positive-sense single-
stranded RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae

9. PHASES OF HEPATITIS C
Acute Hepatitis:
 Acute refers to a new HCV infection that is less
than six months old
 About two to 12 months after the virus invades
the body, HCV can cause a mild to moderate
illness.
 Symptoms are seen in about 15 to 20 percent of
people.

10. CHRONIC HEPATITIS:
 Chronic infection occurs
when the hepatitis C
virus does not
spontaneously clear
and remains in the body.
 HCV infection that lasts
more than six months is
chronic
 It was treated with inject
able interferon, in
combination with
antiviral oral
medications.

11. SYMPTOMS OF HEPATITIS C
 Fatigue
 Fever
 Jaundice
 Nausea and vomiting
 Decreased appetite
 Abdominal pain
 Diarrhea
 Joint pain
 Muscle Pain
 Abnormal tingling or
burning sensations
 An uncomfortable "pins
and needles" sensation
 Itchy skin
 Raised, bumpy areas of
rash
 Dry eyes accompanied
by dry mouth
 Weight loss
Frequent Symptoms Rare Symptoms

12. CAUSES OF HEPATITIS C
 Sharing needles while using illegal street drugs
 Using non-sterile instruments and needles for
tattooing and body piercing.
 Receiving organs (such as a kidney, liver, or
pancreas) from a donor
 Blood transfusion, by which HCV was spread.
 Sharing personal care items such as razors,
scissors, nail clippers, or a toothbrush with an
infected person
 Engaging in high-risk sexual behaviour

13. CAUSES OF HEPATITIS C
 A mother who is infected with the hepatitis C
virus will pass the infection on to her baby in her
breast milk.
 Healthcare workers can become infected,
especially when caring for patients in conditions
that are not sanitary.
 Medical and Cosmetic Procedures that are done
in a non-accredited environment.

14. HOW HEPATITIS C ISN’T SPREAD
 Social contact
 Sharing kitchen utensils
 Toilet seats
 Sneezing, coughing , sharing food or water ,
drinking glasses

15. RISK FACTORS
 Have ever injected or inhaled illicit drugs
 Have HIV or received a piercing or tattoo.
 Received hemodialysis treatments for a long
period of time
COMPLICATIONS
 Scarring of the liver (cirrhosis)
 Liver cancer
 Liver failure

16. HCV TRANSMISSION
 Blood transmission or HCV-RNA were Detected
at 7-12 days after blood transfusion.
 Transmission through unsafe injection,
especially with multi-using syringes or needles.
 160,000 people had HIV and 4.7 million people
with HCV annually.
 Intravenous Drug abuse (users) is another way
 Vertical transmission of virus from mother to her
fetus

17. HCV TRANSMISSION
 Use of Needle stick
 Health Care worker that infected with HCV Virus
 Sexual among people with multiple sexual
partners that co-infected with HIV.
 Nosocomial transmission due to using unsterile
medical devices such as endoscopy,
angiography, and surgical devices
 40% causes of transmission among patients
were not recognized.

18. MANAGEMENT OF HEPATITIS C
Diagnosis
There are two tests
Antibody test
 Antibodies are proteins in the blood which the
body produces to try to destroy the virus,
although with hepatitis C virus this is usually not
successful.
 If the antibody test is positive it means that the
person has been exposed to the hepatitis C virus.

19. MANAGEMENT OF HEPATITIS C
Hepatitis C PCR test
 Also known as Hepatitis C RNA test or viral
RNA test (a test for genetic material of the virus)
 A PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test in a
pathology laboratory is necessary to see if the
virus is still present and whether the person is
still likely to be infectious.
 Negative PCR tests are likely to indicate
clearance of the virus.

20. MANAGEMENT OF HEPATITIS C
Incubation period
 Time between becoming infected and developing
symptoms
Infectious period
 Time during which an infected person can infect
others.

22. PREVENTION
 Not sharing or re-using any injecting equipment
 Avoiding body tattooing or body piercing
 Covering any open sores, cuts or abrasions with
waterproof dressings
 Always using standard precautions if blood or
body fluids must be handled
 People with hepatitis C virus or at risk of
infection with the virus should not donate blood,
organs or other tissue

23. REFERENCE
 Lauer G , Walker BD (2001) Hepatitis C virus infection. N
Engl J Med , 345, 41–52.

 Poynard T , Yeun M-F, Ratziu V, Lai CL (2003) Viral hepatitis
C. Lancet , 362, 2095–2100.
 Saab S , Wang V (2003) Recurrent hepatitis C following liver
transplant: diagnosis, natural history and therapuetic options. J
Clin Gastroenterol , 37, 155–163.
 Adam R , McMaster P, O’Grady JG et al. (2003) Evolution of
liver transplantation in Europe: report of the European Liver
Transplant Registry. Liver Transpl , 9, 1231–1243.
 Alberti A , Benuvegnu L (2003) Management of hepatitis C. J
Hepatol , 38, S104–S118.
 Seeff LB (2002) Natural history of chronic hepatitis C.
Hepatology , 36,S35–S46.
 Kenny-Walsh E (1999) Clinical outcomes after hepatitis C
infection from contaminated anti-D immune globulin. N Engl
J Med , 340,1228–1233.

24. THANK YOU
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