Hep C Testing in West Palm Beach Florida
Free HEP C Testing, Treatment & Prevention Services
Hep C Care - West Palm Beach FL
What Is Hepatitis C?
Acute Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C can be classified as either acute or chronic. Acute HCV infection is the initial phase, from when you first contract the virus up to 12 weeks of infection. During an acute HCV infection, clients may be asymptomatic and show no signs of the viral infection. In other cases, symptoms may be mild and may not be obvious to some as being related to hepatitis C. When symptoms are present, they typically present within the first 12 weeks of infection. However, even without symptoms, you can still spread the virus to others.
Acute HCV symptoms are usually mild but do sometimes point to infection:
- Dark urine
- Clay-colored stools
- Fatigue and feeling tired most of the time
- Fever
- Joint pain
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes
Chronic Hepatitis C
Less than half of people infected with hepatitis C are cured within the first six months. The majority of people infected with HCV transition from the acute phase to the chronic phase. Chronic HCV infection can last months, years, or the rest of your life, depending on the timing of the diagnosis and medical intervention and how your body responds to treatment.
Chronic HCV infection is the leading cause of primary liver cancer in the United States. HCV also tops the list of reasons a client needs a liver transplant.
Symptoms of a chronic hepatitis C infection include those of an acute infection as well as these:
- Bleeding easily
- Bruising easily
- Itchy skin
- Ascites, a buildup of fluid in the abdomen
- Swelling in legs
- Weight loss
- Hepatic encephalopathy, causing confusion, drowsiness, and slurred speech
- Angiomas, spider-like blood vessels visible through the skin
Quick Facts on Hepatitis C
- As many as 50 million people in the world are currently infected with chronic hepatitis C.
- There are an estimated 1,000,000 new infections of HCV each year throughout the world.
- There is currently no effective vaccine available to protect against HCV infection.
- More than 200,000 people worldwide die each year from complications related to HCV infections.
- Most HCV-related deaths occur due to cirrhosis or fibrosis of the liver or liver cancer.
- Hepatitis C is spread only through blood. Touching, kissing, food handling, and other normal daily activities do not increase the risk of spreading or contracting the infection.
How Is Hepatitis C Transmitted?
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that is transmitted through contact with infected blood. It is important to note that the virus only transmits through blood and not other bodily fluids. There are several ways that this contact may happen, though the risk of exposure is low when you follow standard precautions for handling blood.
Common ways you may be exposed to contaminated blood infected with hepatitis C:
- Sharing needles, especially common among drug users
- Unsafe medical procedures such as blood transfusions using unscreened blood products
- Unintended needle sticks in a healthcare setting
Why Is It Important to Get Tested for Hepatitis C?
An early detection of a hepatitis C infection is crucial for your long-term prognosis. Left untreated, hepatitis C begins to harm your liver and causes complications that may worsen over time. Often, infected individuals are not even aware of the viral infection until liver symptoms begin to appear, meaning that damage is already occurring.
Hepatitis C testing is crucial for these reasons:
- An infection is not always obvious due to an absence of symptoms in its early stages
- Screening lowers the risk of spreading the virus to others
- Early detection leads to starting treatment earlier, increasing the chances of curing the infection
- Medical treatment helps reduce the risk of liver damage and injury caused by a chronic infection
Who Is at the Greatest Risk of a Hepatitis C Infection?
Although anyone can be tested for hepatitis C and the virus is not biased in who it infects, there are certain groups of people who are at a higher risk of an infection. If you are in one of these groups, it’s crucial to be tested to prevent the spread and limit the damage to your liver.
Groups at a higher risk of contracting a hepatitis C infection:
- People born between 1945 and 1965: Baby boomers are at a higher risk of HCV and should be screened due to a higher likelihood of undiagnosed infection that could wreak havoc on the liver.
- Drug users: Those who use injectable or IV drugs are at a higher risk due to the potential for using dirty needles and sharing IV supplies. Even if you no longer are a user, it’s important to be tested.
- Clients who received blood transfusions or organ transplants prior to 1992: Screening of blood products was not widespread before this time, meaning you could have received contaminated products.
- Healthcare workers who have had accidental needle sticks or exposure to infected blood: Although you may get lucky and avoid an infection, it’s crucial to get tested immediately after an incident where blood contamination has occurred.
- People with HIV: Those who are infected with HIV, an autoimmune disease, are much more susceptible to other infections and should be tested for HCV.
- Children born to mothers with HCV: These mothers can pass on the infection to their newborns.
- Individuals with unexplained liver issues: If you have liver damage or disease that isn’t explained by other conditions or lifestyle factors, you should rule out HCV infection by being tested.
- People undergoing dialysis: These clients have a higher risk of HCV exposure and should be tested.
- Anyone who has had unprotected sex with another person who is infected with HCV: Although it’s a virus passed through blood, exposure to blood is not uncommon during intercourse.
How Is Hepatitis C Testing Performed?
Testing for a hepatitis C infection is a two-step process:
Step 1: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Antibody Test
This first step in testing is used to determine if you’ve ever been exposed to the hepatitis C virus. The serological test detects antibodies or proteins that the immune system produces in response to a virus. If your HCV antibody test is positive, that means that you have been exposed to the virus at some time in your life. This does not mean that you are currently infected, but it could indicate a previous infection that has cleared up. Further testing is needed to diagnose a current infection.
Step 2: HCV RNA Test
If your HCV antibody test shows positive for hepatitis C exposure, a nucleic acid test is performed. This test checks for HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA). HCV RNA presence indicates a current infection and requires treatment to protect your liver and prevent long-term damage. This second step in testing is crucial as some people, as many as 30%, actually clear the virus and are no longer infected.
Testing Positive: Next Steps
As soon as you have confirmation of your current hepatitis C infection, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor. Consult with the doctor to determine the extent of your infection and what the next steps should be.
Determining the Extent of Liver Damage
After testing positive for a current HCV infection, it’s important to find out how much damage has already been caused by the virus.
- Genotype testing: Helps determine the specific strain or genotype of hepatitis C. Knowing the particular genotype can assist in planning and implementing treatment for the infection.
- Liver function tests: Measure enzyme levels and help assess the extent of damage by testing for the overall function of the liver.
- Liver fibrosis tests: Performed by non-invasive imaging or biopsy to determine the extent of liver scarring and other physical damage to the organ.
Medical Treatment for Hepatitis C
The good news is that there are treatment options for a hepatitis C infection and that the virus is curable thanks to medical advances.
Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) medications are the top choice for HCV infections. This medical treatment involves 8-12 weeks of medication and has a high success rate. Over 95% of clients see a complete end to infection with minimal side effects using DAA medications.
Of course, the exact course of treatment may depend on the genotype and severity of liver damage. While you can treat the infection and clear the virus with medications, you may need other treatments to deal with cirrhosis, fibrosis, and other complications caused by a chronic HCV infection.
In the event that liver damage is extensive, you may require a liver transplant. Liver donations are often obtained through a deceased individual although, in some cases, a live donor can offer a portion of a healthy liver. With liver transplants, doctors remove your damaged liver and replace it with a healthy organ. This does not cure your HCV infection but does remove the effects of liver damage and lowers your risk of liver cancer.
Lifestyle Changes
In addition to medical treatment, lifestyle changes may be in order to keep your liver healthy and prevent further damage to an already compromised organ, such as:
- Stop smoking or do not start smoking
- Abstain from alcohol that can further damage your liver
- Eat a healthy diet
- Participate in physical activity on a regular basis
- Practice safe sex to prevent contracting HCV again once cured
Prevent Spreading the Virus
While undergoing treatment or while infected with hepatitis C that treatment has not cured, take special precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.
Do not share needles. Ensure any needles you have used are properly disposed of. Do not expose others to your blood. Practice safe sex to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
Get Tested Today
If you are at risk for contracting hepatitis C or have symptoms indicating you have an infection, it’s crucial to get tested as quickly as possible. Prompt testing can help you get started with medical treatment right away and limit the damage done to your liver due to the virus. Testing also helps you know if you are HCV-positive, so you can take the proper steps to limit exposure to others and avoid spreading the virus.
For hepatitis C testing in West Palm Beach or for questions about the virus, contact LifeLine Health today. We’ll be happy to set you up with an appointment for testing and talk about your concerns and further options.
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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
