Facts About Hepatitis C (HCV)
(Gathered from the CDC and other reliable sites)

• Hepatitis C is caused by a virus. This virus is able to live outside of the human body for up to 2 weeks. Infected persons should not share such items as toothbrushes, nail clippers, combs, or anything else that may come into contact with blood.
• Hepatitis C was previously known as Hepatitis Non A/Non B.
• Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplants.
• Chronic infection occurs in up to 85 percent of those infected.
• Chronic liver disease will occur in approximately 70 percent of people with chronic infection.
• Up to 5% of those infected will die from hepatitis C.
• At least 95% of those with hepatitis c will die of other causes.
• Approximately 1.8 percent of Americans, or 3.9 million are infected with the HCV
• Using the 1.8 percent figure, somewhere around 7,200 people in Sedgwick county could be infected.
• Hepatitis C is only contracted through blood to blood contact. High risk individuals include health care workers, those who: had a blood transfusion before 1992, have tattoos or body piercings, had dialysis before 1992, IV drug users, and those engaging in high risk sexual behavior.
• Hepatitis C can be transmitted through sexual activity, but this is relatively rare, both partners must have an open wound in the contact area to pass the infection.
• Contaminated blood used in transfusions was a major cause of hepatitis c infections before 1992.
• Hepatitis C has several different subtypes, called genotypes. (1A, 1B, 2A, 3A, 3B, 4, etc) Some genotypes are more resistant to treatment that other genotypes.
• Hepatitis C is currently being treated with Interferon by itself, or in combination with Ribavirin. This results in a "cure" in approximately 50 percent of genotype 1 infections, and up to 80 percent in other genotypes.  Newer medications are being developed by several drug manufacturers