Some Common Hepatitis C Questions and Answers

Hepatitis C is a disease that is relatively common throughout the world. In this article, we'll address some of the questions that people often have about the disease so that you can increase your knowledge.

Question: How prevalent is hepatitis C today?

Answer: The disease known as hepatitis C is present in society in a very big way. As a matter of fact, nearly four million Americans alone are afflicted with the disease, accounting for approximately two percent of the American population. Within the next ten to twelve years, that number is expected to more than double to an estimate of 10.8 million Americans with the disease.

Question: What are some groups that are more prone to having the disease?

Answer: Unfortunately, hepatitis C has been shown to occur more often in veterans, most notably those of the Vietnam War. Studies have shown that approximately twenty percent of veterans tested for the disease came up positive. Also, hemophiliacs are at a higher risk due to their need for regular blood transfusions. The medical field only tested for hepatitis C in blood after 1987, so anyone who has received a blood transfusion before then should be wary. Also, one out of three HIV positive people are also afflicted with hepatitis C. The two diseases can be very dangerous when present together and treatment should be a high priority for anyone with the two diseases.

Question: What types of symptoms are present when one has hepatitis C?

Answer: Unfortunately, as few as twenty percent of hepatitis C sufferers possess any notable symptoms. For the people who do experience symptoms, darkened urine, pain in the abdomen and a yellowish tint to the skin may belie the condition. Nausea and a lack of appetite may also accompany the condition.

Question: What's the difference between interferon alpha and pegylated interferon alpha?

Answer: Pegylated interferon alpha is a type of the drug that has come about in more recent years. Whereas regular interferon alpha therapy requires an injection to occur as often as once per day, pegylated interferon alpha makes the process much easier on the patient, with only one injection per week being necessary.

Question: How long does it take before hepatitis C starts doing significant damage to the body?

Answer: While everybody is different, hepatitis C generally takes a good amount of time before it starts doing damage to the body. Most people with hepatitis C can expect to be victim to liver disease around twenty years after their infection takes hold. After liver disease begins to occur, if a liver transplant is not performed, the patient may die from the disease within five to ten years.

These are just a few of the issues that many people wonder about when they are researching hepatitis C. There are many different resources out there when it comes to learning about the disease, and we encourage you to learn all that you can in order to protect yourself. Your health is your responsibility and it's important to take life by the reins and learn all that you can.