Hepatitis C is a virus that attacks the liver. Liver damage typically occurs slowly over 20-30 years and can lead to liver scarring and potentially, to liver cancer or liver failure. It often remains symptomless for many years. The main symptoms if experienced, are fatigue, pain in the liver area, digestive problems and flu-like symptoms. The presence or absence of symptoms is no indication as to how much damage the virus is causing to the liver. This has led hepatitis C to be termed ‘The Silent Killer’. 

The hepatitis C virus is spread through direct contact with infected blood. The major ways of coming into contact with infected blood are:

Many people who are infected with hepatitis C experience no symptoms at all, making it common that many remain unaware of the disease until they happen to be screened (for example, when donating blood). Others do experience symptoms but mistake them as signs of a cold or flu. The most common symptoms of a new infection of hepatitis C last about 6 months and include: 

Not everyone who is infected by the hepatitis C virus will have chronic hepatitis C. Some individuals will clear the virus from their bodies within six months. Unfortunately, the majority will remain infected unless they can eliminate the virus using treatment. 

Hepatitis B is a virus which is carried in the bloodstream to the liver. It can then affect and damage your liver, if left undiagnosed for decades to middle age and old age it can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer. There are excellent anti viral medications such as Tenofovir that can completely control hepatitis b now, for about 70% of the infected the virus the virus is inactive having little effect and is controlled by avoiding alcohol, paracetamol and becoming fat.

In Africa there is a great deal of Hepatitis B, sub Saharan nations are very effected with about 1 person in 20 having the Virus and 1 person in 2 catching it at some point. North African Mediterranean coast nations are less affected with about 1 person in 50 having the Virus and 1 person in 5 catching it at some point. Worldwide, it is also very common with hepatitis B infecting 1 in 20 humans on Earth. For example, in most of Asia more than 1 in 30 people have chronic hepatitis B infection and 1 in 3 humans catch it! In Africa generally all citizens are at high risk and recommended for safety screening and vaccination by the World Health Organisation.

In about 70% of cases symptoms are mild or unnoticed; in particular babies when infected usually have no symptoms. When they do occur symptoms usually happen between 8 and 16 weeks after infection and include: feeling sick, vomiting, abdominal pains, fever, weight loss and feeling generally unwell. You may become jaundiced (go 'yellow'). With jaundice due to hepatitis your pee goes dark and your poohs may go pale. Very rarely, about 1% of the time, a 'fulminant' hepatitis develops from these symptoms, which is life-threatening.

These occur for about six months when you are first infected and after which 95% of adults will clear the virus and become immune, babies up to 2 years old tend to 95% not clear the virus, children from 2 to 12 years old tend to have a 50% chance of clearing the virus and teenagers tend to have a 90% chance of clearing the Virus. Alcohol, antibiotics and lack of sleep all make clearing the Virus harder.

If after 6 months the Virus is not cleared and our bodies do not create Hepatitis B Surface Antibodies, a lasting or chronic infection phase begins. Of those people who develop chronic hepatitis B infection and do not know and therefore may drink alcohol or get very fat or otherwise injure their livers.  

Ultimately Hepatitis B and C are both called silent killers as they can cause harm over decades without us knowing. Just as we need to test our sugar levels to avoid diabetes and cholesterol levels to avoid heart attacks, we need to check our hepatitis to avoid liver disease. With these diseases a simple test can often save our lives, it is always better to know!