Hepatitis C Infection Symptoms

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By Melissa Kay
eHow Contributing Writer

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Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. There are more types of hepatitis being discovered as time goes on, but the three most common types are hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Hepatitis C can be acute or chronic. Many acute cases become chronic.

Transmission and Risk Factors

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is transmitted through blood. Some of the main risk factors of transmission are injection drug use, sexual intercourse, blood transfusions before 1992, hemodialysis and needle sticks.

Acute Hepatitis C Symptoms

Acute hepatitis C often has no symptoms. Sometimes mild symptoms do appear; they include flu-like symptoms, nausea, poor appetite and abdominal pain.

Chronic Hepatitis C Symptoms

Chronic hepatitis C symptoms can include jaundice, ascites and bruising from cirrhosis once it has progressed.

Diagnosis

Because there are often nosymptoms or mild symptoms, diagnosis of hepatitis C often does not occur until advanced liver disease is present. Blood tests that look for HCV antibodies, which would likely indicate hepatitis C is present, are used for diagnosis; if no antibodies are present and hepatitis C is still suspected, RNA testing is performed.