Hepatitis C
Find out about hepatitis C, including symptoms, treatment, how it's passed on and how to get tested.
Most people with hepatitis C do not have any symptoms.
If you do get symptoms, they may not start for several weeks, months or years after being infected.
Symptoms of hepatitis C can include:
- a high temperature
- tiredness
- tummy pain
- loss of appetite
- feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
- yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes (jaundice) – this may be harder to see on black or brown skin
If hepatitis C is not treated, it may eventually cause other symptoms such as:
- extreme tiredness
- itchy skin
- anxiety and depression
- memory and concentration problems
You can get hepatitis C if the blood from an infected person gets into your bloodstream.
The most common ways this happens are:
- sharing equipment to inject drugs, including needles and syringes
- having medical or dental treatment in a country with poor infection control
Less common ways for hepatitis C to be passed on include:
- having a blood transfusion in the UK before 1996
- sharing equipment for snorting drugs, such as straws and notes
- sharing other items that could have blood on them, such as toothbrushes and razors
- having a tattoo or body piercing using unsterilised equipment (this is unlikely in licensed UK premises)
- having unprotected sex where blood is present
- from a mother to her baby during pregnancy
You cannot get hepatitis C by hugging, kissing or sharing food or drink with someone.
Blood transfusions before 1996
If you had a blood transfusion in the UK before 1996, there's a chance you may have been infected with hepatitis C.
If you had a blood transfusion before 1996 and you've not been tested for hepatitis C, contact your GP surgery to discuss any tests you may need.
Find out more about support for people who may have been affected by infected blood
See a GP if:
- you have symptoms of hepatitis C
- you think you could have been infected with hepatitis C
It's important to get tested if you could have hepatitis C. Treatment can cure the infection and help prevent damage to your liver.
A blood test is used to test for hepatitis C.
You may be offered a test if you have symptoms or a doctor thinks you could have the infection.
You can also get a hepatitis C test from sexual health clinics or drug addiction services.
It can take up to 2 weeks to get your test results back.
If your result shows you do not have hepatitis C, you may be advised to get tested again in 6 months. This is because the test is not always accurate if you were infected recently.
Get a free home test for hepatitis C
If you're aged 18 or over, you can order a free hepatitis C test that you can do at home.
The test involves pricking your finger to get some blood and then sending the blood to get tested.
Treatment can cure hepatitis C infections in most people.
If you're diagnosed with hepatitis C, you'll usually be referred to a specialist for treatment.
Hepatitis C is treated with antiviral tablets you take every day for 8 to 12 weeks. It's important to finish your treatment for it to work.
Most people do not get side effects from treatment. But some people may feel tired, get headaches or feel sick. Tell your specialist if you get any side effects.
You'll have blood tests during and after treatment to check how well it's working. If it has not worked for you, your specialist will recommend another medicine to try.
Your specialist will also recommend making changes to help prevent further damage to your liver, such as keeping to a healthy weight, stopping smoking and avoiding or cutting down on alcohol.
Find out more
There are things you can do to avoid catching or spreading hepatitis C.
You can get hepatitis C more than once, so it's important to try to reduce your risk of getting it even if you've had it before.
Do
use condoms every time you have sex
only get tattoos or piercings from licensed premises
Don't
do not share any drug injection equipment, including needles, syringes, spoons and filters
do not share any drug snorting equipment, including straws or notes
do not share personal hygiene items like toothbrushes or razors
If not treated, hepatitis C can cause:
You're unlikely to get these complications unless you've had hepatitis C for more than 20 years. But you may get complications more quickly if you drink alcohol regularly or also have hepatitis B or HIV.
Your specialist will check for signs of complications and advise you on treatment. Rarely, you may need a liver transplant.
If you're diagnosed with hepatitis C, you'll get support from your specialist team.
You may also find it helpful to get support from local or national charities.
The Hepatitis C Trust
Information and support for people affected by hepatitis C.
The British Liver Trust
Information and support for people with liver conditions.
