Prevention

There is no vaccine to protect against hepatitis C, so the only way to prevent this disease is to avoid the risk factors.

The risk of contracting hepatitis C through sexual activity appears to be low, except for people with HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. Someone in a long-term relationship with one person can become infected if the partner has hepatitis C, but this rarely occurs. For this reason, people with hepatitis C in these types of relationships generally do not need to take special precautions to protect their partners from infection. You should discuss your need for precautions with your doctor.

Right now, these are the most effective ways to prevent hepatitis C:

• Don't inject illegal drugs.

• Don't snort cocaine.

• If you are considering body piercing or tattooing, make sure the procedure is done using equipment that has been cleaned properly.

• If you are a health care worker, follow standard infection control precautions (gowns, gloves, hand washing, etc.) to prevent contact with a patient's blood.

• Do not have unprotected sexual intercourse unless you are in a long-term relationship with one person.

Because drinking alcohol makes hepatitis C worse, people who have the disease should significantly reduce the amount of alcohol they drink or avoid using alcohol entirely.

Treatment

Not everyone infected with hepatitis C needs treatment. If you are infected, your doctor will discuss the benefits and side effects of treatment and the likelihood that treatment will improve your condition. Your doctor will recommend that you receive vaccinations against hepatitis A and B, unless you already have been infected with these viruses, to reduce the chance that you will have further liver damage.

In the past, a medication called alpha interferon commonly was used to treat hepatitis C. However, although nearly 50% of people initially improved with this therapy, the benefits of treatment rarely lasted longer than six months. For this reason, alpha interferon now usually is given with an antiviral drug called ribavirin (Virazole). About sixty percent of patients who take this combination therapy will clear the virus from their blood. The prognosis varies with the subtype of the virus. Patients infected with genotype 2 or 3 have a higher rate of response, while those infected with genotype 1 are less likely to response to treatment.