Presented by: Jeanette Shabazz, PhD, NP-C Hepatitis C Presented by: Jeanette Shabazz, PhD, NP-C

Hepatitis C Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by a virus (HCV) that attacks the liver and leads to inflammation.

Fast Facts 1 in 30 Baby Boomers Has Hep C, And Most Don’t Even Know It. People can live with it for years—even decades—with no symptoms. By the time Symptoms Do Appear, Liver Damage is Often Advanced. Left Untreated, Hep C can cause Liver Damage, Liver Cancer, and even Death. Each year, more people die from Hep C than from HIV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all Baby Boomers (born 1945–1965) get tested for Hep C.

Why Boomers? Baby Boomers (born 1945–1965) are 5 times more likely than other age groups to have Hep C. Infected in the ’70s and ’80s The Hep C Virus wasn’t Discovered Until 1989. Donated Blood was Not Ccreened for Hep C until 1992.

Acute Infection Hepatitis C infection causes acute symptoms in 15% of cases. Symptoms are generally mild and vague: decreased appetite, fatigue, nausea, muscle or joint pains, and weight loss and rarely causes liver failure. Most cases of acute infection are not associated with jaundice. The infection resolves spontaneously in 10–50% of cases, which occurs more frequently in individuals who are young and female.

Chronic Infection Virus persists in the Liver in about 85%. Presence of Detectable Viral Replication for at least Six Months. Chronic infection typically has No Symptoms. Leads to Liver Disease and perhaps Cirrhosis. In some cases, those with cirrhosis will develop complications such as liver failure, liver cancer, or dilated blood vessels in the esophagus and stomach.

How People Get Hep C The Hep C virus Transmitted by small amounts of blood and can live outside the body for up to 3 weeks. Blood transfusions and Blood Products before 1992 Organ Donations

How People Get Hep C Unsterilized Tools at Tattoo Parlors Past Recreational Drug Use Sharing Personal Items: Shaving Razors or Toothbrushes It can take years—even decades—for symptoms of Hep C to appear, so Baby Boomers may only be showing symptoms now.

Hep C Can Be Cured Today’s Treatments: Shorter and More Effective, with cure rates of around 95%. HARVONI (2014) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with chronic hepatitis C. Usually it is a 12 week long treatment. MAVYRET (2017) is the only 8-week treatment for patients with hep C: Genotype 1 - 6 However, you may take MAVYRET for 8, 12, or 16 weeks depending on your hep C genotype, previous hep C treatment experience, and if you have compensated cirrhosis. You are considered cured when a lab test done 3 months after you’ve completed treatment does not find any Hep C virus in your blood.

Take Home Points Getting Tested The Hep C test is a simple, one-time blood test, but it’s not part of routine blood work. It’s covered by most private health insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare plans. If you have Hep C, it can be cured.