What is hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the HCV virus and can be acute or chronic depending on its duration. This infection is transmitted by contact with the blood of a person with hepatitis C, as is the case for hepatitis B. However, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C as there is for hepatitis B, although advances in antiretroviral drugs usually cure the infection in 95% of cases.

Its most prominent symptom is inflammation of the liver, although it can also lead to hemorrhage, fatigue, loss of appetite, dark-colored urine, and yellowing of the skin, among other clinical manifestations.

In some cases, hepatitis C can be complicated by cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. However, if diagnosed early, hepatitis C does not usually cause complications.

On the other hand, there are studies that link hepatitis C with an increased likelihood of premature births and gestational diabetes, as well as low birth weight.