National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Hepatitis C is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine 
National Institutes of Health
Hepatitis C
Also called: HCV
Hepatitis C is one type of hepatitis - a liver disease - caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It usually spreads through contact with infected blood. It can also spread through sex with an infected person and from mother to baby during childbirth.
Most people who are infected with hepatitis C don't have any symptoms for years. A blood test can tell if you have it. Usually, hepatitis C does not get better by itself. The infection can last a lifetime and may lead to scarring of the liver or liver cancer. Medicines sometimes help, but side effects can be a problem. Serious cases may need a liver transplant.
There is no vaccine for HCV.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Start Here
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Hepatitis C(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
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Hepatitis C
(Patient Education Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
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What I Need to Know about Hepatitis C
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
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Hepatitis C
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Basics
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Learn More
, and
Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Basics
For group Learn More
For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
, and
For You
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For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
For group For You
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Overviews
- Frequently Asked Questions about Hepatitis C(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Hepatitis C(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
- Hepatitis C(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Learn More about Hepatitis C(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Latest News
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Hepatitis C Testing for Anyone Born during 1945-1965: New CDC Recommendations(10/01/2012, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Test All Baby Boomers for Hepatitis C: CDC(08/16/2012, HealthDay)
- Hepatitis C Treatment May Hamper Kids' Growth(08/13/2012, HealthDay)
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NIH Scientists Identify Likely Predictors of Hepatitis C Severity(07/23/2012, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center)
- Milk Thistle Extract Doesn't Ease Liver Infection(07/17/2012, Reuters Health)
- More News on Hepatitis C
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Chronic Hepatitis C: Why Baby Boomers Should Get Tested(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
- Hepatitis C Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Hepatitis C: Expansion of Testing Recommendations, 2012(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
- Hepatitis C: Information on Getting Tested(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
- Hepatitis C: Information on Testing(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
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Liver Biopsy(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
- Liver Panel(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Viral Hepatitis(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
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Treatment
- Hepatitis C Treatment(Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Patient Treatment Tracking Chart(Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Viral Hepatitis Therapies(Food and Drug Administration)
- Return to top
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Alternative Therapy
- Alternative and Complementary Therapies for Hepatitis C(Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
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CAM and Hepatitis C: A Focus on Herbal Supplements(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
- Return to top
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Nutrition
- Hepatitis C: Diet and Nutrition(Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Return to top
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Coping
- Mental Health and Hepatitis C(Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Return to top
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Disease Management
- Living with Chronic Hepatitis C(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
- Managing Pain from Hepatitis C(Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Side Effects of Hepatitis C Treatment Guide(Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Return to top
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Specific Conditions
- Hepatitis C: What Happens in End-Stage Liver Disease?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Related Issues
- Alcohol and Hepatitis C(Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- HCV and Rheumatic Disease(American College of Rheumatology)
- Hepatitis C (and HIV)(New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center)
- Also available in Spanish
- Hepatitis C and Incarceration(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
- Hepatitis C: Health Information for International Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Hepatitis C: Questions to Ask Your Doctor(Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Hepatitis C: Sex and Sexuality(Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- If You Have Hepatitis C, Which Vaccinations Do You Need?(Immunization Action Coalition) - PDF
- Return to top
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Health Check Tools
- Hepatitis Risk Assessment(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Return to top
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Tutorials
- Hepatitis C(Patient Education Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
- Return to top
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Hepatitis C(National Institutes of Health)
- Hepatitis C: Clinical Trials(Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Hepatitis C
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Research
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Effects of Milk Thistle Extract on Chronic Hepatitis C(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
- Prevention of Depression in Patients Treated for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection with Interferon-alpha(American College of Physicians) - PDF
- Return to top
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Effects of Milk Thistle Extract on Chronic Hepatitis C
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
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Digestive Diseases Dictionary(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Also available in Spanish
- Hepatitis C: Glossary(Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
- Return to top
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Digestive Diseases Dictionary
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Directories
- AASLD: Physician Referral Service(American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases)
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Organizations
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Statistics
- Viral Hepatitis Surveillance - United States, 2010(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Return to top
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Children
- Hepatitis (For Children)(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- What is Hepatitis C and Why Should I Be Concerned about It?(American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Return to top
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Teenagers
- Hepatitis (For Teens)(Nemours Foundation)
- Return to top
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Patient Handouts
- Hepatitis C
- Also available in Spanish
- Liver biopsy
- Also available in Spanish
- Preventing hepatitis B or C
- Also available in Spanish
- Return to top
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
