National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Hepatitis C is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine 
National Institutes of Health
Hepatitis C
Also called: HCV
Hepatitis C is one type of hepatitis - a liver disease - caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It usually spreads through contact with infected blood. It can also spread through sex with an infected person and from mother to baby during childbirth.
Most people who are infected with hepatitis C don't have any symptoms for years. A blood test can tell if you have it. Usually, hepatitis C does not get better by itself. The infection can last a lifetime and may lead to scarring of the liver or liver cancer. Medicines sometimes help, but side effects can be a problem. Serious cases may need a liver transplant.
There is no vaccine for HCV.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Start Here
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Hepatitis C(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
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Hepatitis C
(Patient Education Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
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What I Need to Know about Hepatitis C
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
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Hepatitis C
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Basics
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Basics
For group Learn More
For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
, and
For You
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For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
For group For You
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Overviews
- Frequently Asked Questions about Hepatitis C(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Hepatitis C(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
- Hepatitis C(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Learn More about Hepatitis C(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Latest News
- Half of People with Hepatitis C Don't Complete Needed Tests: CDC(05/07/2013, HealthDay)
- Statins Tied to Lowered Liver Cancer Risk with Hepatitis C(03/21/2013, Reuters Health)
- Even Moderate Drinking May Be Risky with Hepatitis C(03/15/2013, Reuters Health)
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- CDC Vital Signs: Hepatitis C: Testing Baby Boomers Saves Lives(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Hepatitis C Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Hepatitis C: Expansion of Testing Recommendations, 2012(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
- Hepatitis C: Information on Testing(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
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Liver Biopsy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
- Liver Panel(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
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Treatment
- Hepatitis C Treatment(Department of Veterans Affairs)
- Patient Treatment Tracking Chart(Department of Veterans Affairs)
- Treating Chronic Hepatitis C: A Review of the Research for Adults(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
- Also available in Spanish
- Viral Hepatitis Therapies(Food and Drug Administration)
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Alternative Therapy
- Alternative and Complementary Therapies for Hepatitis C(Department of Veterans Affairs)
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CAM and Hepatitis C: A Focus on Herbal Supplements(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
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Time to Talk: 5 Things You Should Know about Dietary Supplements for Hepatitis C(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
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Nutrition
- Hepatitis C: Diet and Nutrition(Department of Veterans Affairs)
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Coping
- Mental Health and Hepatitis C(Department of Veterans Affairs)
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Disease Management
- Living with Chronic Hepatitis C(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
- Managing Pain from Hepatitis C(Department of Veterans Affairs)
- Side Effects of Hepatitis C Treatment Guide(Department of Veterans Affairs)
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Specific Conditions
- Hepatitis C: What Happens in End-Stage Liver Disease?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Related Issues
- Alcohol and Hepatitis C(Department of Veterans Affairs)
- HCV and Rheumatic Disease(American College of Rheumatology)
- Hepatitis C (and HIV)(New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center)
- Also available in Spanish
- Hepatitis C and Incarceration(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
- Hepatitis C: Health Information for International Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Hepatitis C: Questions to Ask Your Doctor(Department of Veterans Affairs)
- Hepatitis C: Sex and Sexuality(Department of Veterans Affairs)
- Important Information about Interactions between Certain Hepatitis C Drugs and Cholesterol-Lowering Statin Drugs(Food and Drug Administration)
- Vaccinations for Adults with Hepatitis C Infection(Immunization Action Coalition) - PDF
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Health Check Tools
- Hepatitis Risk Assessment(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Tutorials
- Hepatitis C(Patient Education Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Hepatitis C(National Institutes of Health)
- Hepatitis C: Clinical Trials(Department of Veterans Affairs)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Hepatitis C
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Research
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Effects of Milk Thistle Extract on Chronic Hepatitis C(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
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Hepatitis C and Dietary Supplements: What the Science Says(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
- Hepatitis C Virus Testing of Persons Born During 1945-1965: Recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(American College of Physicians) - PDF
- Prevention of Depression in Patients Treated for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection with Interferon-alpha(American College of Physicians) - PDF
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Effects of Milk Thistle Extract on Chronic Hepatitis C
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
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Digestive Diseases Dictionary(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
- Hepatitis C: Glossary(Department of Veterans Affairs)
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Digestive Diseases Dictionary
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Organizations
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Statistics
- Viral Hepatitis Surveillance - United States, 2010(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Children
- Hepatitis(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- What is Hepatitis C and Why Should I Be Concerned about It?(American Academy of Pediatrics)
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Teenagers
- Hepatitis(Nemours Foundation)
- Return to top
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Patient Handouts
- Hepatitis C
- Also available in Spanish
- Hepatitis virus panel
- Also available in Spanish
- Liver biopsy
- Also available in Spanish
- Preventing hepatitis B or C
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
