Is Hepatitis C Contagious? Here are the symptoms, risk factors, and how to detect and prevent Hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C is one of the most common of hepatitis. Hepatitis C is the most dangerous type of hepatitis. The disease is caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) which can cause fatal liver damage.
Is Hepatitis C Contagious?
Hepatitis C can also be transmitted from one person to another through a blood exposure that has been contaminated by HCV virus. Therefore, you need to know what precautions you can do to avoid infectious hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C Virus is easily contagious, among others through blood contact and from the use of non-sterile syringes, tattooing tools, changing se**xual partners, as well as sharing of body care tools such as shaving razors or toothbrush.
However, people who are infected with hepatitis C often do not realize it because the disease in the early stages does not cause symptoms. This condition can actually be dangerous because the person can transmit the illness to others.
But if any family member infected with hepatitis C, do not panic. The risk of transmission in one family is very small even almost nothing. This Virus is also not transmitted through sneezing, coughing, food, water or regular contact.
How to detect hepatitis C.
After knowing the answer of the question, Is hepatitis C contagious?, then how to detect hepatitis C?
To detect whether we are infected with hepatitis C or not, there are several tests that can be done. The first is an examination of anti-HVC antibodies indicating the presence of hepatitis C virus. If the results of a positive anti-HVC antibody test, an advanced test is required, i.e. HCV RNA test to ensure ongoing VHC infection.
Symptoms of Hepatitis C.
Virus Hepatitis C (VHC) Infection is often referred to as a covert infection or a silent infection because the Virus early infection is not symptomatic so it is considered trivial and missed. Many people who are not diagnosed cause the risk of contracting to others become large.
What makes Hepatitis C dangerous is because this disease does not cause any meaningful symptoms in the early stages, so many people are often late realizing that it has been infected with viruses until a few years later when the condition of Hepatitis C has reached the final or chronic stage that causes the organs to suffer from permanent damage.
If hepatitis C cause symptoms, the indicative is similar to flu, like feeling tired, the body feels sore, and not appetite.
After being left until years later, hepatitis C will reach chronic stages and can cause symptoms, such as easy bleeding, easy bruising, itchy skin, swollen legs, decreased weight and fluid accumulates in the stomach.
How Hepatitis C transmitted?
You can be infected with hepatitis C when you have direct contact with blood. This is because the hepatitis C virus develops in the blood. Here are some things that can increase your risk of being infected with hepatitis C virus:
- Using illegal drugs and sharing syringes.
- Make a tattoo or piercing in a place where the utensils are not sterile.
- Often borrow personal items with others, such as nail clippers, toothbrushes, and shavers.
- Inter**course with hepatitis C.
Risk factors for hepatitis C
A number of factors that increase the risk of chronicity include male gender, aged over 25 years when experiencing infections, those who do not feel symptoms, alco**hol consumption, obesity, insulin recitency conditions and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
How to prevent spread of hepatitis C.
Because the transmission of hepatitis C occurs through the blood, there are several things that you should consider:
- Do not use shavers, toothbrushes, nail clippers, or any other equipment that may contain your blood along with other family members.
- Immediately close or treat each wound with a bandage.
- Dispose of used pads, tissues, used bandages, or other things that contain your blood with caution.
- Do not use the syringe alternately.
- Do not donate blood, organs, tissues, and se**men.
Read also: Heparin Side Effects, Benefits, and How to Use It.
Thank you very much for reading Is Hepatitis C Contagious: The symptoms, risk factors, and how to Prevent It, hopefully useful.
