From the Guidelines
Hepatitis C Symptoms
Hepatitis C symptoms can be mild and may not appear until the disease has progressed. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, anorexia, jaundice, and malaise 1. In severe cases, Hepatitis C can lead to liver damage, liver failure, and liver cancer.
Disease Progression
The disease can be divided into two stages: acute and chronic.
- Acute HCV infection is asymptomatic in 75% of cases, and when symptoms occur, they include abdominal pain, nausea, anorexia, jaundice, and malaise 1.
- Chronic HCV infection is usually asymptomatic, although it can cause progressive liver damage 1.
Extrahepatic Manifestations
Infection with HCV can also be associated with a variety of extra-hepatic manifestations, including cryoglobulinemic vasculitis, lymphoma, cardiovascular diseases, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus 1.
Key Points
- 75% of acute HCV infections are asymptomatic 1
- Common symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, anorexia, jaundice, and malaise 1
- Chronic HCV infection can lead to liver damage, liver failure, and liver cancer 1
- Extrahepatic manifestations can occur, including cryoglobulinemic vasculitis and lymphoma 1
From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Symptoms of Hepatitis C (HCV) Infection
The symptoms of Hepatitis C (HCV) infection can vary depending on the stage of the disease.
- In the acute phase, symptoms may be mild and non-specific, including:
- Malaise
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Mild hepato- and splenomegaly
- Arthralgia as reported in 2
- In some cases, the acute phase may be asymptomatic, with no noticeable symptoms 2, 3
- In the chronic phase, symptoms may include:
- Malaise
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Itching as noted in 2
- It's worth noting that many individuals with HCV infection may not exhibit symptoms until the disease has progressed to a more advanced stage, such as liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma 4, 5
Disease Progression
HCV infection can progress to chronic infection in approximately 70-80% of cases, with some individuals developing liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and possibly death 6, 2
Diagnostic Methods
The basic diagnostic methods for HCV infection involve determination of anti-HCV antibodies using the ELISA immunoassay and examination of HCV-RNA with the RT-PCR method 2