What are the symptoms of hepatitis C? Six characteristics to help you identify hepatitis C

The liver is an important organ in our body, but many liver diseases are currently untreatable. Common liver diseases include hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis, ascites, and liver cancer. Hepatitis C is a contagious disease. The following symptoms can help you better identify hepatitis B.

(1) The onset is more insidious than that of hepatitis A and E. Positive HCV RNA and/or persistently elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) are characteristics of chronicity. The chronicity rate is 50%-70%, of which 10%-20% may develop into cirrhosis, which is higher than HBV infection. It usually takes more than 20 years from hepatitis C to hepatocellular carcinoma.

HCV RNA positivity and/or persistent increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) are characteristics of chronicity. The chronicity rate is 50%-70%, of which 10%-20% may develop into cirrhosis, which is higher than HBV infection.

(2) The sources of infection are patients and asymptomatic hepatitis C virus carriers.

(3) The age of high incidence is 30-39 years old. The incidence of hepatitis C is high among those who use intravenous drugs, receive multiple blood transfusions, or undergo hemodialysis.

(4) The clinical manifestations of hepatitis C are similar to those of hepatitis B, but the symptoms are mild or absent and it is more likely to become chronic. The incidence of jaundice is low and ALT is lower than that of hepatitis B, and extrahepatic manifestations are not common.

(5) The ALT peak is lower than that of patients with hepatitis A and B. There are three types: monophasic, multi-peak and biphasic. The monophasic type presents a transient increase and is an acute, self-limiting HCV infection with a good prognosis. The multi-peak pattern is a sign of progression to chronic hepatitis. In the biphasic type, ALT drops in the early stage of the disease and then rises again, the condition worsens, and is often accompanied by jaundice.

(6) Hepatitis C is prone to simultaneous or overlapping infection with hepatitis B. This is because hepatitis B and C have a common transmission route, or that patients with chronic hepatitis B have decreased immune function. Therefore, many patients with hepatitis B and C are infected with overlapping diseases, and the prognosis of those with overlapping infections is worse than that of patients with simple chronic hepatitis B or C.