symptoms of Hepatitis C

Malaysia
February 10, 2007 7:54pm CST
What are the signs and symptoms of Hepatitis C, which part of the body does it affect and how?
2 responses
@kritipen (4082)
• United States
23 Feb 07
Hepatitis, in its early stages, may cause flu-like symptoms, including: malaise (a general ill feeling) fever muscle aches loss of appetite nausea vomiting diarrhea jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes) But some people with hepatitis may have no symptoms at all and may not even know they're infected. Children with hepatitis A, for example, usually have mild symptoms or have no symptoms. If hepatitis progresses, its symptoms begin to point to the liver as the source of illness. Chemicals normally secreted by the liver begin to build up in the blood, which causes: jaundice foul breath a bitter taste in the mouth dark or "tea-colored" urine white, light, or "clay-colored" stools There can also be abdominal pain, which may be centered below the right ribs (over a tender, swollen liver) or below the left ribs (over a tender spleen).
• Malaysia
24 Feb 07
thanks for responding.i appreciate that. .
@kbourgerie (8780)
• United States
5 Jun 07
Hepatitis C is often referred to as a "silent epidemic" because many Americans are not aware of having it because often there is a lack of symptoms until the disease has progressed into the chronic stages. There are 5 types of hepatitis, 3 that are common A, B and C. A can be transmitted through contaminated food and water and B & C are blood to blood. The symptoms of Hepatitis C include (but are not limited to) fatigue, flu like symptoms, i.e., chills, fever, headaches, joint and muscle aches, nausea, aversion to certain foods, unexplained weight loss, physcological disorders including depression, tenderness in the abdomen and jaundice. It is diagnoses through blood tests and the severity of the virus in your system is found through enzyme levels, liver ultrasounds or liver biopsy. It is the most common reason for liver transplants and the the number one cause of liver cancer.