STBBI Basics: Hepatitis C
What is Hepatitis?
Hepatitis C is a liver infection and, in most cases, preventable and curable.6 However, in Canada, hepatitis C is still responsible for more deaths than any other infectious disease and in 2017, it was estimated that at least one individual was infected with HCV every hour.6
Hepatitis = Inflammation of the liver
Hepatitis A, B, and C are the infections you've probably heard about
Hepatitis B and C are infections that can become chronic
Hepatitis C
- Transmitted primarily through blood
- Most people initially have mild or no symptoms
- About 20-25% recover without treatment
- Those who don’t clear the virus are at risk of developing liver injury, cirrhosis, and liver cancer
- Treatment can cure the virus and works for many people
- There is no vaccine
Hep C Symptoms
What Transmits Hep C ?
What Does Not Transmit Hep C?
Hepatitis A
- Transmitted when feces from a person with the virus contacts the mouth of another person
- Most people have mild or no symptoms.
- Generally clears within two months and serious complications are rare
- Almost all people clear the virus on their own
- There is no treatment
- There is a vaccine
Hepatitis B
- Transmitted through blood and other bodily fluids like semen and vaginal fluids
- No symptoms in most cases. Most people (90-95%) clear the virus on their own
- 5% are at risk of developing liver injury, cancer, and cirrhosis
- Treatment does not cure the infection
- There is a vaccine