Hepatitis C

• Hepatitis C is a virus that attacks the liver. When left untreated, hepatitis C can lead to serious health problems such as liver failure, liver cancer and early death. The good news is that hepatitis C can be cured!
• Hepatitis C is passed when blood from a person with hepatitis C gets into the blood of someone without hepatitis C. There are many ways to prevent getting or passing hepatitis C.
• The only way to know if you have hepatitis C is to get tested.

Read on for answers to common questions about hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C is a virus that attacks the liver, an organ that performs many important functions for the body. The liver is essential to good health.

If left untreated, hepatitis C injures the liver over time. This can lead to serious health problems such as liver failure, liver cancer and early death. However, hepatitis C can be cured.

Hepatitis C is passed when blood from a person with hepatitis C gets into the blood of someone without hepatitis C.

Among immigrants and newcomers, hepatitis C is commonly passed in their home countries due to poor safety measures in healthcare practices. This includes:

• through the receipt of donated blood or tissue in countries where the blood supply is not tested adequately for hepatitis C
• through the reuse of medical, dental or surgical equipment in countries where this equipment is not properly sterilized
• through traditional healing practices that cut or pierce the skin, if equipment is reused or not sterilized (examples include wet cupping and acupuncture)

In Canada, hepatitis C is commonly passed through sharing drug use equipment, especially injection drug use equipment.

Hepatitis C can also be passed:

• through reusing unsterilized tattooing or body piercing equipment
• from a pregnant parent to a child during pregnancy or childbirth
• during sex (while the risk is very low, it is possible; this is more common among men who have sex with men)
• through sharing personal care items like razors, nail clippers and toothbrushes

Hepatitis C can no longer be passed through donated blood or tissue in Canada. Canada started testing donated blood and tissue for hepatitis C in 1992.

Hepatitis C is never passed by hugging, kissing or touching someone who has the virus.

There is no vaccine for hepatitis C so it’s important to do what you can to prevent getting hepatitis C.  There are many ways to prevent hepatitis C:

• If you inject drugs, avoid sharing by using new equipment every time you inject drugs.
• If you smoke or snort drugs, avoid sharing by using your own equipment every time you smoke or snort.
• Use condoms the right way each time you have sex.
• Get tested, treated and cured before becoming pregnant. This will prevent passing hepatitis C to your baby.
• If you receive medical, dental or surgical treatment outside Canada, ensure that the equipment either is new or has been properly sterilized.
• If you receive donated blood or tissue outside of Canada, confirm that it has been screened for common blood-borne infections.

Most people who have hepatitis C do not have any symptoms for many years, even though the virus is active and injuring their liver. You can have hepatitis C and not know it. There is no mandatory hepatitis C testing when people apply for permanent residency in Canada.

The only way to know if you have hepatitis C is to get tested.

Ask a healthcare provider for a hepatitis C test. You may want to also get tested for other infections at the same time, like gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis.

Hepatitis C can be cured! For some people the virus will go away on its own within the first six months, but most people need treatment to cure the infection.

Hepatitis C treatment has come a long way. It involves taking treatment for eight or 12 weeks and cures almost everyone with hepatitis C with few, if any, side effects.

If you have hepatitis C, speak to a healthcare provider about your treatment options. The earlier treatment is started the better it is for your health.

Having had hepatitis C does not make you immune. You can get hepatitis C again if you come into contact with blood containing hepatitis C again.

The good news is that it can be treated and cured again!

Hepatitis A and B are different from hepatitis C

Hepatitis A is usually passed through water or food contaminated with fecal matter (poo). It can also be passed through close contact with someone who has hepatitis A. Most people who get hepatitis A recover from it on their own. When this happens, they are immune to the virus and cannot get hepatitis A again.

Hepatitis B can be passed from one person to another through blood, semen or vaginal fluid. Hepatitis B can also be passed to a baby during childbirth. Most people who get hepatitis B recover on their own; after this, they cannot get hepatitis B again. However, some people with hepatitis B develop a chronic hepatitis B infection. This is more common in people who get hepatitis B when young. Chronic hepatitis B can lead to long-term liver problems. There is no cure for hepatitis B.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent both hepatitis A and hepatitis B.

Speak to a healthcare provider about hepatitis C testing or to receive treatment and care for hepatitis C.