Hepatitis C: Risk Factors, Diagnosis, Prevention

Risk factors

Knowing the risk factors involved in the onset of hepatitis C is extremely important because, if on the one hand it allows for effective prevention, on the other it pushes the individuals exposed to regular and early medical checks.

This last aspect allows, in many cases, to eradicate the infection before it irremediably compromises liver health.

Main risk factors

Having had blood or blood product transfusions before 1992;
having used needles or syringes already used for the administration of drugs, but also drugs or anabolic steroids;
have undergone dental, acupuncture, body piercing or body painting sessions in unclean rooms, managed by unqualified personnel;

Minor risk factors

Sharing straws, bills, or other tools for snorting cocaine or other drugs;
having worked in contact with infected patients (healthcare personnel);
being born to a mother who is a carrier of the disease;
living with infected people, especially if you share razors, toothbrushes, tweezers and cutting tools;
having or having injured yourself (blood to blood contact) during unprotected risky sexual intercourse.

They DO NOT transmit hepatitis C

The common use of the toilet;
the use of the same cutlery or glasses;
coughing, sneezing, kissing, or hugging;
the swimming pools;
mosquito or other insect bites.

Diagnosis

If you fear that you have contracted hepatitis C, a simple blood test, aimed at the search for specific antibodies to HCV, can dispel any doubts. If these suspicions are well founded, further investigations on blood samples will assess whether the infection is still in progress, the quantity of viruses present in the blood and their genetic characteristics (6 types of HCV have been identified, with different genetic characteristics and different sensitivity to specific drugs).
The extent of liver damage can be assessed by measuring the blood transaminases (especially alanine aminotransferase or ALT).
Many of these tests are repeated over time, to assess the progression of the disease and the degree of response to medical treatment. In some cases, to better estimate the degree of severity of hepatitis, a very small biopsy is required, aimed at the removal of a part of liver tissue to be analyzed under the microscope.

How to avoid infection

Viral hepatitis C can be prevented by adopting correct behaviors such as:

use condoms in case of sexual intercourse with casual partners;
avoid exchanging used syringes;
avoid the exchange of personal items such as toothbrush, scissors, razors, nail clippers, reusable syringes;
in the case of tattoos, holes in the ears or in other parts of the body (piercings), or aesthetic or medical practices that require the use of needles, ensure the hygienic conditions of the premises in which they are performed and demand the use of disposable needles and throws;

The procedure, performed under local anesthesia, provides the doctor with useful information on the causes, the extent of the damage and the best treatment available to resolve the disease.

The incubation duration of the hepatitis C virus varies from 15 to 150 days, on average 50. Anti-HCV appears in the blood a few weeks after infection.

Prevention

There is no effective vaccine against hepatitis C; consequently, primary prophylaxis is based on patient education and reduction of risk factors. Those with hepatitis C, in particular, should carefully cover any wounds, avoid sharing razors, scissors or toothbrushes, donate sperm or organs, and communicate their condition to family members, partners and healthcare professionals who may come into contact with his blood.

Related topics: hepatitis A; hepatitis B; hepatitis D; hepatitis E; Medicines for the treatment of hepatitis