What is a Clinical Trial?
Find out about clinical trials.
Hepatitis C Virus
About hepatitis C
In this section, you or a loved one can find out more hepatitis C, as well as links to other information. Being informed is an important first step towards becoming an active decision-maker in your care plan.
What is hepatitis C?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver – an infectious health condition caused by several types of hepatitis viruses. If a hepatitis C infection isn’t cleared by the immune system within months after acquiring it, it becomes ‘chronic’, causing inflammation and scarring/cirrhosis. This makes it harder for the liver to do its job – fighting infection, aiding digestion and filtering toxins from the blood.
Over time, people with hepatitis C virus (HCV) can become very sick and some may eventually need a liver transplant.
However, most people with chronic hepatitis C live very long periods with few to no symptoms. In fact, often only routine medical tests show liver damage – sometimes decades after the initial hepatitis C infection.
For more information, please visit Hepatitis Australia http://www.hepatitisaustralia.com/ (Date last accessed 26 Oct 2016)
Disclaimer
Please note that the information on this website is intended for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for seeking medical advice or treatment from a healthcare professional. Speak to a healthcare professional if you have any questions about your health, medical condition, symptoms or treatment options.
References
American Liver Foundation
http://hepc.liverfoundation.org/ (Date last accessed 26 Oct 2016)
Hepatitis C Association
http://hepcassoc.org/ (Date last accessed 26 Oct 2016)
