Hepatitis C is a viral infection of the liver that is common worldwide. About 3 percent of the world’s population is infected, and about 800,000 people in Germany. The disease is chronic in 80 percent of cases and can then lead to severe liver damage, such as cirrhosis (shrunken liver) or liver cancer.
Transmission of hepatitis C
Transmission of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) occurs through the bloodstream. This makes the group of drug addicts particularly at risk when needles and syringes are shared. But there are also special occupational groups that can come into contact with infected blood, such as laboratory technicians, nurses or doctors.
Rarely, but still possible, is transmission from mother to child during childbirth. Especially if the concentration of the virus in the maternal blood is very high.
There is also a risk of sexual transmission – especially during sexual practices with a high risk of injury.
In many cases, however, the route of transmission cannot be determined. Important: Infections via blood transfusions or during dialysis (blood washing) are virtually impossible today – provided they are carried out and monitored properly.
Symptoms of hepatitis C
- Acute form: After an incubation period of 2-26 weeks, flu-like symptoms such as headache, aching limbs, and fatigue appear. Many affected persons report loss of appetite, pain on pressure in the upper abdomen, and aversion to certain foods. Rather rarely, the skin and eyes turn yellow or there is darkening of the urine and discoloration of the stool. In about 10-20% of acutely affected patients, the disease heals without therapy after 2-8 weeks. In most cases, however, the immune system is unable to fight the virus on its own. If it is longer than 6 months in the body of the patient to detect, it is called chronic hepatitis C.
- Chronic form: The infection can progress insidiously over decades. Most affected complain of complaints such as fatigue, decreased performance, unclear upper abdominal complaints. A smaller proportion report itching and joint complaints. Of this group of chronically infected persons, one fifth develop cirrhosis of the liver after an average of 20 years. This in turn can be a trigger for liver cancer.
