Hepatitis C

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. There are 2 main kinds of hepatitis, acute hepatitis and chronic hepatitis. There are 3 viruses that cause hepatitis. Each hepatitis virus is named with a letter of the alphabet: hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is found in the blood of persons who have this disease. The infection is spread by contact with the blood of an infected person. Hepatitis C can be spread through sexual contact, shared needles and even sharing a razor with somebody who is infected. Most people who are infected with hepatitis C don't have any symptoms for years. To check for hepatitis C, the doctor will test your blood. Hepatitis C is treated with a drug called peginterferon, usually in combination with the drug ribavirin. Over time, hepatitis C can cause your liver to stop working so it is a very serious disease. Find extensive information, diagnosis, treatment, and tools on hepatitis C for patients, relatives and healthcare professionals.