Hepatitis C is a blood-borne infectious disease that is caused by Hepatitis C virus (HCV), infecting the liver. The infection can cause liver inflammation (hepatitis) that is often asymptomatic, but ensuing chronic hepatitis can result later in cirrhosis (fibrotic scarring of the liver) and liver cancer.
Signs and symptoms
> Fatigue
> Low-grade fever
> Headaches
> Slight sore throat
> Loss of appetite
> Nausea, vomiting
> Jaundice
> Sensitivity to light
> Stiff or aching joints
> Itchy skin
Causes
> Injection drug use:-Hepatitis C is usually spread through direct contact with the    blood of a person who has the disease.
> Through sharing needles with intravenous drug users that were infected with hepatitis    C.
> Blood products- Through a blood transfusion or receiving blood products (plasma,    etc.) that was contaminated with hepatitis C.
> Body piercings and tattoos- Tattooing dyes, ink pots, stylets and piercing implements    can transmit HCV-infected blood from one person to another if proper sterilization    techniques are not followed.
> Having a tattoo or body piercing with equipment that has not been properly sterilised    can lead to infection.
> Shared personal care items: - Personal care items such as razors, toothbrushes,    cuticle scissors, and other manicuring or pedicuring equipment can easily be    contaminated with blood. Sharing such items can potentially lead to exposure to HCV.
> Iatrogenic medical or dental exposure: - If medical equipment is reused but not    adequately sterilised, the virus may be transmitted.
> It can be transmitted through the pregnant mother to her unborn baby.
Diagnosis
> Tests for Liver Enzymes. Blood tests showing elevated liver enzymes, particularly    alanine aminotransferase (ALT), plus symptoms of hepatitis (jaundice, fatigue) are    often first signs of acute hepatitis. In chronic hepatitis, however, liver enzymes may    be normal or fluctuate. They also can be elevated even after the virus has cleared
> Anti-HCV tests detect the presence of antibodies to the virus, indicating exposure to    HCV. These tests cannot tell if you still have an active viral infection, only that you    were exposed to the virus in the past. Usually, the test is reported as "positive" or    "negative." There is some evidence that, if your test is "weakly positive," it may not    mean that you have been exposed to the HCV virus. The Centers for Disease Control    and Prevention (CDC) revised its guidelines in 2003 and suggests that weakly positive    tests be confirmed with the next test before being reported.
> HCV RIBA test is an additional test to confirm the presence of antibodies to the virus.    In most cases, it can tell if the positive anti-HCV test was due to exposure to HCV    (positive RIBA) or represents a false signal (negative RIBA). In a few cases, the    results cannot answer this question (indeterminate RIBA). Like the anti-HCV test, the    RIBA test cannot tell if you are currently infected, only that you have been exposed    to the virus.
> HCV-RNA test identifies whether the virus is in your blood, indicating that you have    an active infection with HCV. In the past, it was usually performed by a test called a    qualitative HCV. Qualitative HCV RNA is reported as a "positive" or "detected" if any    HCV viral RNA is found; otherwise, the report will be "negative" or "not detected". The    test may also be used after treatment to see if the virus has been eliminated from    the body.
> Viral Load or Quantitative HCV tests measure the number of viral RNA particles in your    blood. Viral load tests are often used before and during treatment to help determine    response to treatment by comparing the amount of virus before and after treatment    (usually after 3 months); successful treatment causes a decrease of 99% or more (2    logs) in viral load soon after starting treatment (as early as 4-12 weeks), and usually    leads to viral load being not detected. Some newer viral load tests can detect very    low amounts of viral RNA, and some laboratories no longer do qualitative HCV RNA    tests if they use one of these versions of viral load testing.
> Viral genotyping is used to determine the kind, or genotype, of the virus present.    There are 6 major types of HCV; the most common (genotype 1) is less likely to    respond to treatment than genotypes 2 or 3 and usually requires longer therapy (48    weeks, versus 24 weeks for genotype 2 or 3). Genotyping is often ordered before    treatment is started to give an idea of the likelihood of success and how long    treatment may be needed.
> Liver biopsy is the ultimate test in hepatitis C. It is not necessary for diagnosis but    gives useful information about the stage of disease (the amount of liver damage that    has already occurred).
Treatment
> There is no vaccine for the prevention of HCV infection.
> Drug classes used to treat Hepatitis C

1. Anti-virals :-
Anti-virals are used for a wide variety of viral infections. They typically work to blocks the growth of the virus and slow the progression of the infection. Anti-virals usually do not cure the viral infection, but prevent it from getting worse

2. Combination antivirals and interferons :-
The combination of anti-virals and interferons work together to block the growth of the virus and prevent the infection from getting worse.

3. Interferons :-
Interferons are proteins that the body's immune system normally produces to help fight viruses, control the replication of cells, and regulate the immune system

A. Interferon alfa and ribavirin are two drugs approved for the treatment of persons with chronic hepatitis C, and are sometimes used in persons with acute hepatitis C, also.

B. Combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin is the treatment of HCV infection.