Hep C Testing in Lakeland Florida
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Hep C Care - Lakeland FL
What to Know About Hepatitis C Testing in Lakeland, FL
Hepatitis C testing in Lakeland, Florida is something that all adults should consider. If you’re in a high-risk group, the need is even more urgent. Around the country, the number of acute hepatitis C cases has doubled since 2014. Early screening and treatment may help you protect your health. If you’re concerned that you may have contracted hepatitis C, use the fact that it’s possible to live a long, complication-free life with help from an early diagnosis as inspiration to take action. Keep reading to learn more about hepatitis C testing near you.
Why Testing for Hepatitis C Matters
Hepatitis C can produce unreliable symptoms in people who have been infected. That means that the only way to confirm that you’ve been infected is with a test from a healthcare provider. Many people living with hepatitis C don’t look or feel sick. Some of the milder symptoms can be easy to dismiss. Severe signs of liver damage may not show up for 10 to 30 years. However, the damage may be irreversible at that point. Additionally, living with undiagnosed and unmanaged hepatitis C puts you at risk for unknowingly passing the virus on to others.
Many people assume that they cannot transmit hepatitis C to others if they don’t have symptoms. This is simply not true. If you currently have undiagnosed, symptom-free hepatitis C, you are still at risk for transmitting infection. Likewise, a person who is infected with hepatitis C without symptoms can still pass the virus on to you.
What Is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a liver infection that’s caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It’s estimated that between 2 and 3 million Americans have hepatitis C. The worldwide estimate is 58 million.
Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver failure and end-stage liver disease. People who are infected often require liver transplants. With a new infection, symptoms can range from very mild to very serious. Acute hepatitis C refers to an intense, short-term illness that occurs within the first six months of exposure. In some cases, an acute infection leads to a chronic infection. For most people, an untreated hepatitis C infection is something that will lead to lifelong health problems involving liver scarring or liver cancer.
How Do You Get Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C infections spread when blood from an infected person enters the bloodstream of a person who isn’t infected. Transmission methods can include:
- Intravenous drug use involving needles and syringes
- Accidental needle sticks in healthcare settings
- Unhygienic tattooing or piercing practices
- Sharing razors, toothbrushes, or other personal items that may come into contact with blood
- Sexual contact
People who had blood transfusions before 1992 may have also been exposed to hepatitis C. Additionally, it’s important for expectant mothers who suspect that they may have been exposed to hepatitis C to know that the virus can be passed from mother to child during childbirth.
What Are the Symptoms of Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis symptoms aren’t universal. In addition to varying from person to person, they can also change depending on the stage of infection someone is in.
In the early acute phase of hepatitis C directly following infection, a person might experience flu-like symptoms that include fever, nausea, jaundice, and muscle aches. If you have reason to believe that you’ve been exposed to hepatitis C prior to developing these symptoms, early testing is essential.
In addition to the acute symptoms of a new infection, people living with chronic hepatitis C will often experience long-term, ongoing symptoms. In some cases, these symptoms won’t show up until liver damage has severely compromised their health many years following the infection. These symptoms can include:
- Ongoing fatigue
- Bleeding easily
- Bruising easily
- Unexplained loss of appetite
- Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes
- Dark-colored urine
- Itchy, irritated skin
- Fluid buildup in the abdominal area (ascites)
- Swelling in the legs
- Unintentional and unexplained weight loss
- Confusion and drowsiness
- Slurred speech
- The emergence of spider-like blood vessels on the skin
When symptoms are left untreated, an infected person is likely to develop a condition called cirrhosis. This condition is characterized by an intense scarring of the liver that makes it difficult for the organ to perform its functions. Severe scarring can eventually cause the liver to stop functioning altogether. Hepatitis C also dramatically increases a person’s chances for developing liver cancer.
Getting Tested for Hepatitis C in Lakeland, Florida: How Does It Work?
Hepatitis C screening is a fast, easy process that is available to anyone in Florida. There are actually several different testing methods. Your care provider will recommend which option is best for you based on the specifics of your circumstances.
HCV Antibody Testing: What to Expect When You Visit a Clinic
The most common way to be tested for hepatitis C is to look for HCV antibodies. HCV antibodies are proteins that are created in the bloodstream as a defense mechanism when a person is infected with hepatitis C. Labs actually use three different methods to test for HCV antibodies. Here’s a look at what they entail:
- Lab-based HCV antibody test: During this type of test, a healthcare professional takes a sample of your blood. This sample is then sent to a lab for analysis. In general, results come back in a few days.
- Rapid HCV antibody test: Also known as a quick test or rapid point of care test, this type of test is completed in the office. First, your healthcare provider will take a blood sample for analysis. Results are typically ready within 30 to 60 minutes.
- Home-based HCV antibody test: With this option, you use a home-based kit to take a blood sample that is then sent to a lab to be analyzed.
A hepatitis C antibody test can determine if you’ve ever been infected with HCV at any point in your life. However, a positive test does not always indicate that you currently have an active case of hepatitis C. Positive and reactive results from HCV antibody tests require a second blood test to determine if the virus is still active in your body. This type of test is called a qualitative nucleic acid test (NAT) for HCV RNA. Following this test, your healthcare provider will be able to tell you if the virus is present in your blood. The answer will help to determine the best route for treatment.
Understanding Your Results: A Closer Look at Hepatitis C Testing Results
A person’s hepatitis C testing results will either come back as nonreactive or reactive. If you have a nonreactive result, this essentially means that you’ve tested negative for hepatitis C. If you do not have HCV antibodies in your blood, your doctor won’t request any additional testing. However, your doctor will recommend that you be retested for antibodies if you believe you’ve been exposed to hepatitis C at some point during the last six months.
If your results come back with a reactive antibody test result, this means that you have tested positive for having an HCV infection at some point in your life. However, this does not necessarily mean that you have an active or acute infection since HCV antibodies remain detectable in your blood for the rest of your life following an infection. Antibodies remain even if your body cleared the virus naturally or you received treatment that cured your hepatitis C.
Your doctor will request a qualitative nucleic acid test (NAT) for HCV RNA if you test positive for antibodies. If the results from that test come back negative, this indicates that you no longer have HCV in your body even though you’re carrying antibodies from a previous infection. If results come back positive, this means that you are currently infected with HCV that requires immediate treatment.
What Treatment Is Available for Hepatitis C in Lakeland, Florida?
Depending on the results of your test, your healthcare provider may recommend one of several available hepatitis C treatments. The most common treatment for hepatitis C is an antiviral medication. Antiviral hepatitis C treatments are used to clear HCV from the body. In most cases, you can expect the hepatitis C virus to be gone from the body within 12 weeks of treatment ending. Some newer medications on the market today can clear hepatitis C from the body in just eight weeks. When choosing an appropriate antiviral treatment, a care provider will look at your specific hepatitis C genotype, the presence of any liver damage, and other medical conditions or prior treatments in your medical history.
Preventing Hepatitis C
There currently is no vaccine for hepatitis C. That means that prevention is important for keeping yourself protected from the long-term effects on your liver that can result from undetected, untreated hepatitis C infection. The best way to keep yourself protected from hepatitis C is to avoid behaviors that allow the virus to spread through blood-to-blood contact. Things to avoid include:
- Sharing needles, syringes, or other types of drug equipment
- Engaging in sexual activity with a person who is infected with HCV
- Getting tattoos or piercings in unregulated settings
- Receiving a blood transfusion or medical treatment in a country with relaxed or unregulated healthcare standards
- Practicing poor or unsanitary procedures in a healthcare setting
Knowledge is the best protector against hepatitis C. There is no stigma for testing. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends universal screening for all adults 18 and older at least once in their lifetime. In addition, the CDC also recommends that all pregnant women should be screened during each pregnancy.
Get Tested for Hepatitis C in Lakeland, Florida
Hepatitis C testing in Lakeland, Florida is easy, accessible, and affordable for all. Don’t let confusion or fear of stigma prevent you from getting the testing and care you need for your peace of mind and lasting health. With so many innovations regarding early detection and treatment using antiviral medications in recent years, a hepatitis C diagnosis doesn’t need to be devastating news. However, failing to test for the virus when you have reason to suspect that you’ve been exposed can put you and the people around you at risk for severe long-term kidney damage and potential kidney failure.
At LifeLine Health, we provide free hepatitis C testing and treatment for clients throughout the state of Florida. Our compassionate, attentive staff is here to answer all your questions and help you take charge of your health. In addition to offering hepatitis C testing in Lakeland, we also offer a wide range of STD testing to ensure that you’re getting all of the screenings you need. There’s no hassle involved. Simply book your hepatitis C screening in Lakeland today with the team at LifeLine Health.
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Most Asked
Is HIV treatable?
How is HIV transmitted?
HIV is primarily transmitted through certain bodily fluids, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk. The most common ways that people become infected with HIV are through:
Unprotected sexual contact: HIV can be transmitted through unprotected vaginal, anal, and oral sex.
Sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs: HIV can be transmitted when needles or other equipment that has been used by an HIV-positive person is reused by someone else.
From mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding: HIV can be transmitted from a mother living with HIV to her baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
Blood transfusion or organ transplant: HIV can be transmitted through blood transfusions or organ transplants with infected blood or organs.
It’s important to note that HIV is not transmitted through everyday activities like hugging, shaking hands, or sharing utensils.
It’s also worth mentioning that, although the risk of transmitting HIV through oral sex is lower than that of other sexual behaviors, it is still possible to transmit the virus by this way.
I am pregnant and HIV positive. Will my child be born with HIV?
If you are pregnant and living with HIV, it’s important to seek medical care right away. With appropriate medical care and treatment, the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV can be significantly reduced. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the most effective method for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. ART can suppress the virus in the mother’s body, lowering the risk of the virus being passed on to the baby during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or breastfeeding. If you’re pregnant and HIV-positive, you’ll be closely monitored by a team of healthcare professionals, including an obstetrician, an HIV specialist and a pediatrician. They will work together to ensure the best possible care for you and your baby. They may advise you to start the ART treatment or adjust the current regimen during pregnancy. This is necessary to achieve an undetectable viral load, which is critical in minimizing the chance of mother-to-child transmission. It’s also important to know that there is a small chance that your child may still become infected despite all the preventative measures. Therefore it’s important to test the baby for HIV shortly after birth and continue monitoring the baby’s HIV status after delivery. It’s worth noting that mother-to-child transmission of HIV is rare in developed countries due to improved treatment and awareness, as long as the mother is diagnosed and treated early.
Listen To What Our Patients Say…
Cristina Anderson
I am thankful to the nice people at Lifeline Health. I was so scared when I found out I had been exposed. They guided me and made me feel so at ease. I have not had an issues and I know it’s because I went to Lifeline Health first.
Juan Bustamonte
