Hepatitis C

• Hepatitis C is a virus (HCV) that can cause inflammation of the liver.
• It is mainly spread from the blood from an infected person, for example, while sharing needles, or other equipment that has been exposed to blood, to inject drugs, or through needle-stick injuries.
• For most people (70%-85%), hepatitis C is a long-term chronic condition that can result in long-term serious health problems and even death.
• Most infected people may not be aware of their infection if they are not ill with symptoms.
• There is no vaccine for hepatitis C.
• The best way to prevent hepatitis C is to avoid behaviors that can spread the disease, such as injecting drugs, and decrease the risk of occupational exposure (for healthcare workers) by adhering to Standard Precautions.

Hepatitis C is reportable in Orange County within seven (7) calendar days of identification. To report a case, health care providers/facilities should call OCHCA Epidemiology at 714-834-8180, fax reports to 714-560-4050, or mail to P.O. Box 6128, Santa Ana, CA 92706-0128. An average of 8 cases (range, 5-14) of acute hepatitis C were reported in Orange County each year between 2013 and 2017. However, chronic hepatitis C infections are much more common, with 38,656 newly reported cases in California in 2016 (Source: CDPH).

Healthcare Professionals

• CDC Hepatitis C Questions and Answers for Health Professionals
• HCV Guidance:  Recommendations for Testing, Managing, and Treating Hepatitis C (American Association for Study of Liver Diseases and Infectious Diseases Society of America)
• Information for Healthcare Personnel Potentially Exposed to Hepatitis C Virus (HCV):  Recommended Testing and Follow-up
• Management of Occupational Exposures to HBV, HCV, and HIV and Recommendations for Postexposure Prophylaxis (2001 MMWR)

 

Resources

• CDC Hepatitis C Fact Sheets

For more information, see the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcv/index.htm.

Last reviewed January 30, 2019

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