Hepatitis C
Symptoms
& Testing

Did you know people with Hepatitis C typically has no symptoms? 

Many people don’t have symptoms and don’t even know they’ve been infected with Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), until years later when the disease becomes severe causing liver damage. This is serious. HCV can lead to cirrhosis of liver and liver cancer. HCV is one of the most common chronic blood-borne infections in the United States, with an estimated 3.5 million Americans being infected (Source: CDC). 

But when symptoms do occur you may see the following symptoms (Source: CDC):

• Fever

• Fatigue

• Dark urine

• Clay-colored stool

• Abdominal pain

• Loss of appetite

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Joint pain

• Jaundice

So how exactly is HCV is spread? 

Most people become infected by sharing needles with people with infected blood. But even if you don’t use drugs, you can still get HCV by:

• Getting Unregulated tattoos or body piercing

• During birth (approx. 6% of infants born to infected mothers will get HCV)

• Needlestick injuries by healthcare providers

• Sex with an infected person

• Sharing personal items like glucose monitors, razors, nail clippers, toothbrushes

• Other items that have come in contact with infected blood. 

 Hepatitis C Testing Recommendations

CDC now recommends one-time hepatitis C testing of all adults (18 years and older) and all pregnant women during every pregnancy. CDC continues to recommend people with risk factors, including people who inject drugs, be tested regularly (Source: CDC).

At Options for Women PHC, we do STD testing you for FREE! 

Make your appointment today!