Basics
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the Hepatitis _________
What is a virus?
People with Hepatitis C should not share these items with other people.
What is toothbrush, razor, nail clippers?
True or False:
People living with the Hep C virus may not show signs or symptoms for twenty to thirty years?
True
On average, Hepatitis C treatment can take from __________ to __________ weeks to complete?
By taking a single pill once a day for eight to 12 weeks, a patient has a greater than 95 percent chance of being cured permanently.
Most new Hepatitis C infections are caused by this activity.
What is injection drug use?
You need this number of tests to know if you are chronically HCV infected.
What is two?
Name three things you can not get Hep C from?
What is coughing, sneezing, touching/shaking hands, sharing food, drinks, eating utensils, using toilet seats, hugging, kissing, other casual contact
A short term Hepatitis C infection is called what?
What is acute?
Six months after completing treatment, if you are told you have a SVR (Sustained Viral Response), this means:
You have cleared the Hepatitis C virus and are undetectable
True or False:
People born from 1945-1965 (baby boomers) are 5x more likely to have Hepatitis C than other adults?
True
There is a high level of risk for HCV infection if you had this medical procedure prior to 1990.
What is blood transfusion, or organ transplant?
Three symptoms of liver failure in patients with cirrhosis from chronic Hepatitis C.
What is jaundice; ascites (swelling in the abdomen); blood in stool or vomit; sleep disturbances; decreased appetite; nausea; depression, weight loss, dry or itchy skin, and “brain fog”.
Which test an antibody or RNA test is needed to determine if a person is currently infected?
An RNA test is needed to determine if a person is currently infected...an positive antibody test means that the person has been infected with the Hepatitis C virus at some point in time
The success rate of clearing the virus through treatment is:
Hepatitis C treatment regimens have extremely high success rates. There is roughly a 95 percent cure (SVR) rate overall
What is it called when there is an abnormally large amount of scar tissue in the liver?
What is fibrosis?
It occurs when the liver attempts to repair and replace damaged cells. Many conditions can damage the liver. Fibrosis itself causes no symptoms, but severe scarring can result in cirrhosis, which can cause symptoms.
Name 2 harm reduction practices should be taken when someone is injecting drugs to minimize transmission of Hepatitis C.
1. Use new, sterile needle each injection
2. Do not share any injection-related equipment
3. Clean any shared syringes with bleach and water if you have to reuse.
Three things you can do to minimize the progression of the Hepatitis C virus.
What is abstain from consuming alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. Other answers may include: Healthy living, avoid solvents, relaxation techniques.
This medical procedure measures the degree of scarring (also called “fibrosis”) and the amount of inflammation (also called “activity”). It is considered the gold standard for measuring the extent of liver damage.
What is A liver biopsy?
Can you get Hep C again after you have been cured of the virus?
Yes. Having had hep C once does not make you immune from getting it again