Hepatitis C Fact Sheet
Bloodborne Pathogens
Section
Cause
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
- Identified in 1989
- Responsible for 90% of non-A, non-B hepatitis cases following
blood transfusion prior to 1989
- HCV is a viral infection carried in the blood
- There are six genotypes and more than 100 subtypes of HCV
identified.
Clinical Characteristics
Incubation
Period |
Average 2-26
weeks |
Acute Illness |
Mild acute illness is seen in less
than 25 % of infected people |
Chronic Infection |
70-80% of people progress to
chronic infection. |
Death from Chronic Liver Disease,
Disease from liver damage, and Cancer of the Liver |
1-5% of infected people per
year.
|
Signs and Symptoms
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) can occur in 20-30%
of those infected. Other general symptoms such as uneasiness, loss
of appetite, pain in the stomach area, dark urine and fatigue can
be seen in 10-20% of those infected.
- About 70-80% of people show no signs or symptoms of
infection.
- About 20-30% or individuals who are infected with acute Hep C
will recover without treatment.
Modes of Transmission
- Exposure to blood or blood products infected with HCV
- An infected mother can pass the infection to her newborn child
(vertical transmission).
- Sexual transmission is a rare event, but can happen in the
presence of blood.
- Household transmission through sharing of razors, toothbrushes,
scissors and nail clippers is possible.
Persons at Risk
Persons |
Level of
Risk |
Recipients of blood, tissues, or
organs prior to 1990 |
High |
Recipients of blood clotting
factors (e.g. Factor VIII) prior to 1992 |
High |
Injection Drug Users |
High |
People who 'snort'
drugs |
High |
Hemodialysis patients |
Medium |
People getting tattoos and body
piercings with tools that are not sterile (e.g. in prison) |
Medium |
People who have sex with a Hep C
carrier |
Medium |
Babies born to Hep C infected
mothers |
Low |
Health Care Workers |
Low |
Prevention
- If your job regularly exposes you to blood or blood products
from others, try to protect yourself with gloves to reduce the risk
of the spread of viruses.
- If you use injection drugs, ensure you use clean, sterile
needles. Sharing needles, syringes or other drug-use equipment with
others can put you at risk of infection.
Treatment
- Treatment of people with new Hep C infections with long acting
interferon and ribavirin can get rid of the virus in up to 60% of
people within 24 to 72 weeks.
Canadian Data on the trends of HCV
- In 2007, the incidence rate of hepatitis C in Canada was 1.4
per 100,000 (Public Health Agency of Canada, Enhanced Hepatitis
Strain Surveillance System)
- Prevalence was estimated at 250,000 or 0.8% of the Canadian
population in 2002.
Reference: Bloodborne Pathogens Section, Blood Safety
Surveillance and Health Care Acquired Infections Division, Health
Canada, 2003