Infectious inflammation of liver (from blood-to-blood contact). Also run Hepatitis General, Blood Purify, and Parasites Schistosoma Mansoni programs if necessary.Encyclopedia Entry for Hepatitis C :Hepatitis C - hepatitis C virus (Flavivirus)Encyclopedia Entry for Hepatitis C :Hepatitis C - children. A child may get HCV from an HCV-infected mother, at the time of birth. Almost 6 out of every 100 infants born to mothers with an HCV infection have hepatitis C. There is no treatment to prevent hepatitis C at birth. Adolescents and teens can also get an HCV infection. There are many causes of hepatitis C in teens, including: Being stuck with a needle after use by an HCV-infected person Coming in contact with the blood of an infected person Using street drugs Having unprotected sexual contact with a person with HCV Getting tattoos or acupuncture therapy with infected needles Hepatitis C does not spread from breastfeeding, hugging, kissing, coughing, or sneezing.Symptoms develop in children about 4 to 12 weeks after infection. If the body is able to fight HCV, the symptoms end within a few weeks to 6 months. This condition is called acute hepatitis C infection. However, some children never get rid of HCV. This condition is called chronic hepatitis C infection. Most children with hepatitis C (acute or chronic) do not show any symptoms until more advanced liver damage is present. If symptoms do occur, they may include: Pain in the right upper abdomen Clay-colored or pale stools Dark urine Tiredness Fever Yellow skin and eyes ( jaundice ) Loss of appetite Nausea and vomiting.Your child's health care provider will perform blood tests to detect HCV in blood. Two most common blood tests are: Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to find the hepatitis C antibody Hepatitis C RNA assays to measure virus levels (viral load) Infants born to hepatitis C-positive mothers should undergo testing at 18 months of age. This is the time when antibodies from the mother will decrease. At that time, the test will more truly reflect the baby's antibody status. The following tests detect liver damage from hepatitis C: Albumin level Liver function tests Prothrombin time Liver biopsy Abdominal ultrasound These tests show how well your child's treatment is working.The main aim of treatment in children is to relieve the symptoms and stop the disease from spreading. If your child has symptoms, make sure that your child: Gets plenty of rest Drinks lots of fluids Eats healthy food Acute hepatitis C does not need any special treatment. However, your child can pass the virus to others. You should take steps to help prevent the disease from spreading. Chronic hepatitis C needs treatment. The goal of treatment is to prevent complications. If there is no sign of the HCV infection after 6 months, then your child has fully recovered. However, if your child develops chronic hepatitis C, it can cause liver disease later in life. Your child's provider may recommend antiviral medicines for chronic HCV. These medicines: Have fewer side effects Are easier to take Are taken by mouth The choice of whether to use medicines in children for hepatitis C is not clear. Medicines that have been used, interferon and ribavirin, carry a lot of side effects and some risks. Newer and safer medicines have been approved for adults, but not yet for children. Many experts recommend waiting on treatment of HCV in children until these newer medicines are approved for use in children.Children younger than 3 years old may not need any treatment. Infection in this age group often resolves without any complications.The possible complications of hepatitis C are: Liver cirrhosis Liver cancer These complications generally occur during adulthood.Call your provider if your child has symptoms of hepatitis C. You should also contact your provider if you have hepatitis C and become pregnant.There are no vaccinations for hepatitis C. Therefore, prevention plays an important role in managing the disease. In a household where someone with hepatitis C is living, take these steps to help prevent the spread of the disease : Avoid contact with blood. Clean any blood spills using bleach and water. Mothers with HCV should not breastfeed if nipples are cracked and bleeding. Cover cuts and sores to avoid contact with body fluids. Do not share toothbrushes, razors, or any other items that may be infected.Silent infection - HCV children; Antivirals - hepatitis C children; HCV children; Pregnancy - hepatitis C - children; Maternal transmission - hepatitis C - children.Jensen MK, Balistreri WF. Viral hepatitis.Encyclopedia Entry for Hepatitis C :Hepatitis C. Hepatitis C infection is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C You can catch hepatitis C if the blood of someone who has hepatitis C enters your body. Exposure may occur: After a needle stick or sharps injury If blood from someone who has hepatitis C contacts a cut on your skin or contacts your eyes or mouth People at risk of hepatitis C are those who: Inject street drugs or share a needle with someone who has hepatitis C Have been on long-term kidney dialysis Have regular contact with blood at work (such as a health care worker) Have unprotected sexual contact with a person who has hepatitis C Were born to a mother who had hepatitis C Received a tattoo or acupuncture with needles that were not disinfected properly after being used on another person (risk is very low with practitioners who have a tattoo license or permit or an acupuncture license) Received an organ transplant from a donor who has hepatitis C Share personal items, such as toothbrushes and razors, with someone who has hepatitis C (less common) Received a blood transfusion (rare in the United States since blood screening became available in 1992).Most people who are recently infected with hepatitis C do not have symptoms. Some people have yellowing of the skin (jaundice). Chronic infection often causes no symptoms. But fatigue, depression and other problems can occur. Persons who have long-term (chronic) infection often have no symptoms until their liver becomes scarred ( cirrhosis ). Most people with this condition are ill and have many health problems. The following symptoms may occur with hepatitis C infection: Pain in the right upper abdomen Abdominal swelling due to fluid ( ascites ) Clay-colored or pale stools Dark urine Fatigue Fever Itching Jaundice Loss of appetite Nausea and vomiting.Blood tests are done to check for hepatitis C: Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to detect hepatitis C antibody Hepatitis C RNA assays to measure virus levels (viral load) Everyone born from 1945 to 1965 (the baby boomer generation) should get a one-time test for hepatitis C. Genetic testing is done to check for the type of hepatitis C (genotype). There are six types of the virus (genotypes 1 through 6). Test results can help your doctor choose treatment that is best for you. The following tests are done to identify and monitor liver damage from hepatitis C: Albumin level Liver function tests Prothrombin time Liver biopsy.You should talk to your health care provider about your treatment options and when treatment should begin. The goal of treatment is to rid the body of the virus. This can prevent liver damage that may lead to liver failure or liver cancer. Your provider will monitor you by checking liver blood tests, viral load (the amount of HCV in your blood), imaging tests, and biopsy results. Treatment is especially important for people who are showing signs of liver fibrosis or scarring. Antiviral medicines are used to treat hepatitis C. These drugs help fight the HCV. Newer antiviral drugs: Provide a much improved cure rate Have fewer side effects and are easier to take Are taken by mouth for 8 to 24 weeks The choice of which medicine depends on the genotype of the HCV you have. A liver transplant may be recommended for people who develop cirrhosis and/or liver cancer. Your provider can tell you more about liver transplant. If you have hepatitis C: Do not take over-the-counter medicines that you have not taken before without asking your provider. Also ask about vitamins and other supplements. Do not use alcohol or street drugs. Alcohol can speed up the damage to your liver. It can also reduce how well medicines work. Ask your provider whether you need the hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines. If you have not received a vaccine for hepatitis A or B or have not had these forms of hepatitis, you may need vaccination for them.Joining a support group can help ease the stress of having hepatitis C. Ask your provider about liver disease resources and support groups in your area.Most people (75% to 85%) who are infected with the virus develop chronic hepatitis C. This condition poses a risk for cirrhosis, liver cancer, or both. The outlook for hepatitis C depends in part on the genotype. A good response to treatment occurs when the virus can no longer be detected in the blood 12 weeks or more after treatment. This is called 'sustained virologic response' (SVR). Up to 90% of those treated for some genotypes have this type of response. Some people do not respond to initial treatment. They may need to be re-treated with a different class of medicines. Also, some people can become re-infected or infected with a different genotype strain.Call your provider if: You develop symptoms of hepatitis You believe you have been exposed to the HCV.Steps that can be taken to help prevent the spread of hepatitis C from one person to another include: Health care workers should follow precautions when handling blood. Do not share needles with anyone. Do not get tattoos or body piercings or receive acupuncture from someone who does not have a permit or license. Do not share personal items, such as razors and toothbrushes. Practice safe sex. If you or your partner is infected with hepatitis C and you have been in a stable and monogamous (no other partners) relationship, the risk of giving the virus to, or getting the virus from, the other person is low. HCV cannot be spread by casual contact, such as holding hands, kissing, coughing or sneezing, breastfeeding, sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses. Currently there is no vaccine for hepatitis C.Sustained virologic response - hepatitis C; SVR - hepatitis C.Digestive system Digestive system Hepatitis C Hepatitis C.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Hepatitis C. www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcv/cfaq.htm. Updated October 17, 2016. Accessed March 11, 2018. Fathi H, Clark A, Hill NR, Dusheiko G. Effectiveness of current and future regimens for treating genotype 3 hepatitis C virus infection: a large-scale systematic review. BMC Infect Dis. 2017;17(1):722 PMID: 29145802 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29145802. Falade-Nwulia O, Suarez-Cuervo C, Nelson DR, Fried MW, Segal JB, Sulkowski MS. Oral direct-acting agent therapy for hepatitis C virus infection: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2017;166(9):637-648. PMID: 28319996 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28319996. Ferreira VL, Assis Jarek NA, Tonin FS, et al. Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir with or without ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotype 1: A pairwise meta-analysis. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;32(4):749-755. PMID: 27785825 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27785825. Jakobsen JC, Nielsen EE, Feinberg J, et al. Direct-acting antivirals for chronic hepatitis C. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;9:CD012143. PMID: 28585310 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28922704. Jacobson IM, Lim JK, Fried MW. American Gastroenterological Association Institute clinical practice update-expert review: care of patients who have achieved a sustained virologic response after antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C infection. Gastroenterology. 2017;152(6):1578-1587 PMID: 28344022. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28344022. Moyer VA; U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for hepatitis C virus infection in adults. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med. 2013;159(5):349-357. PMID: 23798026 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23798026. Ray SC, Thomas DL. Hepatitis C.Encyclopedia Entry for Hepatitis C :Hepatitis C virus. Hepacivirus. Human. Sexual, blood. Associated with HepatitisEncyclopedia Entry for Hepatitis C :Hepatitis C: Hepatitis C is a less common, and less severe, form of hepatitis. An estimated 180 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV); 3-4 million more are infected every year. The majority of HCV cases are asymptomatic, even in people who develop chronic infection.Encyclopedia Entry for Hepatitis C :Hepatitis C virus. Hepacivirus. Human. Sexual, blood. Associated with HepatitisEncyclopedia Entry for Hepatitis C :Hepatitis C. Source of disease: Hepatitis C virus