Statistics

• The number of acute cases of hepatitis C is unknown. In the United States, in 2001, there was an estimated 4,000 reported acute cases of hepatitis C.
• Many more people had hepatitis C and did not know it. It is estimated that there were 25,000 acute cases of hepatitis C nationally.
• About 2.7 million people in the United States have chronic hepatitis C.

Who can become infected with hepatitis C?

• Hepatitis C can affect anyone.
• But some individuals are at greater risk for hepatitis:
  
  • Injection drug users
  • Individuals who have received tainted blood products and/or organ donations
  • Persons with liver problems
  • Children born to infected mothers
  • Healthcare or hospital workers
  • Individuals with more than one sex partner
  • Close contacts with individuals infected with hepatitis C

How does one become infected with hepatitis C?

• Hepatitis C is transmitted through blood or bodily fluids. For example, a person can get infected with hepatitis C:
  
  • By sharing needles with someone with hepatitis C,
  • By being pricked with a needle or other exposures at work,
  • From an infected mother during birth.

What are the symptoms of hepatitis C?

• Many people do not have any signs or symptoms of hepatitis C.
• The most common signs and symptoms of hepatitis C are:
  
  • Jaundice (yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes)
  • Fatigue
  • Dark urine
  • Abdominal (stomach) pain
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea