When To Call A Professional
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Call your doctor if you have symptoms of hepatitis or if you believe that you have been exposed to someone who has hepatitis.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that certain high-risk groups of people be tested for hepatitis C, including:
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Those who received transfusions of blood or blood products before 1992
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Drug users who inject drugs or snort cocaine
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People on long-term hemodialysis
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People with a history of sex with multiple partners
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Spouses of those with hepatitis C
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Those who live in the same household as someone with hepatitis C
If you are among these high-risk people, call your doctor and ask about hepatitis C testing.
Prognosis
Up to 80% of people infected with hepatitis C virus eventually develop chronic hepatitis. After approximately 20 years of chronic hepatitis C infection, about 20% of people develop cirrhosis, and about 1% to 5% develop a form of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma. Effective treatment with anti-viral therapy will decrease the risk of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Additional Info
American Liver Foundation 75 Maiden Ln. Suite 603 New York, NY 10038 Phone: (212) 668-1000 Toll-Free: (800) 465-4837 Fax: (212) 483-8179 http://www.liverfoundation.org/
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