Hep C
What’s that? Hep C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus.
Many people from Asia and South East Asia live with hep C. In Australia, 1 in 5 people with hep C don’t know they have it.
How does hep C affect people ? Most people don’t feel sick when they first get hep C. 1 in 4 people clear the virus naturally (without taking medicines). But they are not immune and they can get it again.
After a while some people might feel sick or tired or like they have the flu all the time. Some people don’t feel sick at all.
A small percentage of people may get serious liver cancer. This usually takes a long time.
How do people get hep C ? Hep C is passed on through ‘blood to blood’ contact. This happens when the blood of someone who has hepp C ggets into someone elses bloodstream.
The most common way to get hep C is by sharing any equipment used for injecting drugs, including fits, spoons, swabs, water, filters and tourniquets.
Other ways of getting hep C • Sharing unsterile body piercing equipment. This includes piercing done at home. • Sharing unsterile tattooing equipment. This includes tattooing done at home.
Avoiding hep C
There is no vaccine to stop people getting hep C, so... • Don’t share other people’s razors, toothbrushes or tweezers. There may be blood on them that you can’t see. • Always use new equipment including fits, spoons, swabs, water, filters and tourniquets. • Wash your hands before and after injecting. • For tattooing and body piercing it is best to go to professionals who use sterile equipment.
You cannot get hep C from Sneezes, coughs, kissing...
Sharing food or drinks
Toilets
Mosquito bites
How do you know if you have hep C ? Usually there are no symptoms when you first get hep C. If you want to check, get a free blood test from your doctor. To know if you have hep C, there are 2 blood tests: • An antibody test will tell you if you have ever come into contact with hep C virus. If the antibody test is positive, you wll be given the next test - the PCR test. • The PCR test; this test will tell whether the hep C virus is still active in your body. If it is, then you have chronic hep C.
Can hep C be cured? YES!! Hep C CAN BE CURED. New treatments have almost 100% cure rate and few side effects. For most people hep C treatment are tablets taken daily over 8 to 12 weeks. Treatment can be provided through your GP, specialist or viral hepatitis nurses. For more information, talk to your doctor or call Hepatitis
SA Helpline on
1800 437 222 NOTE: Being cured of hep C will NOT protect you from being re-infected with hep C.
Staying healthy if you have hep C Visit your doctorr regularly for checkups.
Cut out or cut down on alcohol and stay away from binge drinking.
Eat a healthy diet—avoid fatty food.
Get vaccinated for hep A and hep B.
More Information For more information please call 1800 437 222. If you need an interpreter when your call is answered, please ask for the Telephone Interpreter Service. For more information about hepatitis C, visit hepsa.asn.au. For information about hepatitis C in other languages, visit www.mhahs.org.au.
Acknowledgements: This booklet is based on What is Hep C? published by Hepatitis NSW. SA Health has contributed funds towards this program.
On Kaurna Country
3 Hackney Rd Hackney SA 5069 PO Box 782 Kent Town SA 5071 Ph (08) 8362 8443 hepsa.asn.au admin@hepatitissa.asn.au