Hepatitis C Basic Information

Information at a glance

There is a safe, effective and affordable cure for hepatitis C. It is available to all adult Australians and, under specialist supervision, for Australian children over 3 years old.

Hepatitis C is inflammation of the liver caused by a virus that can be found in the blood. It is spread by blood-to-bloodstream contact. Infected blood must get into your bloodstream before there is any chance of transmission occurring.

Hepatitis C treatment offers over 97% chance of cure with very few side effects. Treatment consists of pills taken daily for 8 or 12 weeks. No injections are needed.

Your doctor, liver nurse or specialist will advise which treatments would be suitable (or not suitable) for you, depending on your medical history and any other medications you are taking.

Some hepatitis C treatments can cause birth defects, and contraception is needed during and for a time before and after treatment. Treatment of pregnant or breastfeeding women, or those planning to become pregnant in the near future, is not recommended.

It is essential that you feel well-informed before deciding on any treatment path. Talk with your GP, liver nurse or specialist.

Hepatitis SA Tel: 1800 437 222 or (08) 8362 8443 Kaurna Country 3 Hackney Rd Hackney SA 5069 PO Box 782 Kent Town SA 5071 www.hepsa.asn.au Browse our Click n Read library collection at hepsa.catalyst-koha.com.au Order free information resources at hepsa.asn.au/orders

The most common ways of getting hepatitis C in Australia are: • sharing injecting equipment • tattooing and body piercing with non-sterilised equipment

Artwork derived from illustration by pch.vector/Freepik

Can hepatitis C be cured?

Hepatitis C Basic Information

So what’s safe?

Hepatitis C is not classified as a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Sexual transmission of hepatitis C is very unlikely unless there is bloodto-bloodstream contact during sex. The risk of transmission may be increased if an STI is present.

It’s perfectly OK to share food, drinks, hugs and kisses with someone who has hepatitis C. The risk of mothers passing hepatitis C to their unborn child is very low. Breastfeeding is encouraged for women who are living with hepatitis C. Treatment Hepatitis C can be cured. Treatment is safe and highly effective.

For more information: • Hepatitis SA Helpline: 1800 437 222 (1800 HEP ABC) • browse our website or live chat to us: hepsa.asn.au Last update: September 2022 SA Health has contributed funds towards this Program.

1800 437 222

What is hepatitis C? Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus, which can be found in the blood. In Australia, an estimated 114,000 people are living with the virus (as of 2019). If left untreated, 20% of people infected will go on to develp serious liver disease. Almost everyone living with hepatitis C can be cured. Hepatitis C is totally different from hepatitis B, hepatitis A and HIV; one of these viruses does not lead to the other. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, but there is a cure.

What are the symptoms?

During the initial (acute) phase of infection, a small number of people may experience flu-like symptoms. Some people may develop nausea, abdominal pain, back pain and fatigue.

Most people with hepatitis C do not experience any symptoms for the first 10 years or more after their initial infection. Symptoms of long-term (chronic) infection can range from mild to severe. These symptoms can occur continuously or in bouts.

The most common symptoms of chronic hepatitis C infection are: • fatigue, tiredness and lethargy • nausea and discomfort in the abdomen • feeling ill after consuming alcohol or fatty food • depression Hepatitis C can cause scarring of the liver, known as fibrosis which over time can lead to permanent scarring known as cirrhosis. While many people with hepatitis C may experience no symptoms, others may experience profound lethargy and significant discomfort in the liver region.

Cirrhosis is a serious and complex condition requiring specialised medical support. For more information, see Liver Cirrhosis: Information for Patients (bit. ly/3RR3HpY). To get a free printed copy, call 1800 437 222. It is important to find a GP, specialist or liver nurse who can monitor your liver health and discuss treatment and lifestyle options with you.

How is hepatitis C transmitted?

The hepatitis C virus is transmitted by blood-tobloodstream contact. Infected blood must get into your bloodstream before transmission can occur.

In Australia, those most at risk of contracting hepatitis C are: • people who inject drugs who have shared injecting equipment (including needles, syringes, swabs, tourniquets and water) • people with haemophilia who had blood products before 1993 • prisoners (due to the high prevalence of injecting drug use in prisons, and the lack of access to clean needle programs) • people who have had tattoos or body piercings done with nonsterilised equipment • people from countries where immunisation programs did not use sterile equipment, • people who have had nonsterile medical or dental procedures overseas Hepatitis C is rarely transmitted during sex.

It is not classified as a sexually transmitted infection (STI). There is only a risk of transmission when there is potential for blood-to-bloodstream contact during sex. The risk of this contact may increase when an STI such as herpes is present. There may also be an increased risk of blood-to-bloodstream contact during anal sex or when a woman has her period as the virus is present in menstrual blood of women with hepatitis C. What about babies?

The risk of mother-to-baby transmission of hepatitis C is less than 5%. Women with hepatitis C are encouraged to have natural births, and to breastfeed (unless their nipples are cracked and bleeding).

Testing for Hepatitis C Early diagnosis and treatment is important to prevent health problems that may result from hepatitis C infection, and to prevent onward transmission.

Until recently, the presence of hepatitis C virus in the blood could only be detected with a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test on blood samples sent to a laboratory. Now, however, hepatitis C rapid tests are available at selected locations around Australia.

These diagnostic tests require only a drop of blood collected via a finger prick, giving results within an hour. These tests can be given at the point of care, without the need to send samples to laboratories.

To find out if hepatitis C rapid tests are available near you, call Hepatitis SA on 1800 437 222.

You can see one of the tests being done at bit. ly/3x6whfa.

Other tests include: ANTIBODIES: A hepatitis C antibody positive test result means that at some stage of your life you have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus but does not necessarily mean you have the virus now.

FIBROSCAN: a device that uses ultrasound to assess the ‘stiffness’ of your liver, and thus the likelihood of damage or scarring being present. The procedure only takes 10 to 15 minutes and unlike a liver biopsy, it is entirely non-invasive.

PCR: If you have had a positive antibody test, you are eligible to have a Medicare-covered PCR test (also known as a hepatitis C RNA test), which will indicate if the live virus is present or not.

Different PCR tests can also determine which strain (genotype) of hepatitis C virus, and how much of the virus (viral load), is present.

LIVER FUNCTION: A group of blood tests performed together to determine how well the liver is functioning (also known as an LFT test).