CHENANGO COUNTY – Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been steadily increasing in Chenango County in the past 2 years. In 2016, 54 cases were reported, 2017 saw 68 cases and to date 2018 has had 28 reported cases thus far.

Hepatitis C kills more Americans than any other infectious disease reported to the CDC. New Hepatitis infections are rapidly increasing among young people with highest rates of new infections among the 20-29 year old population. This is a primary result of the increased use of injection drug use associated with the opioid epidemic that is growing in America.

HCV causes inflammation of the liver. The liver is a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected.

HCV is usually spread when blood from a person infected with the virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. Most people become infected with HCV by sharing needles, syringes, or any other equipment to inject drugs. Before widespread screening of the blood supply in 1992, HCV was also spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants. HCV can be spread through poor infection control techniques in healthcare settings. HCV can also be spread when getting tattoos and body piercings in unlicensed facilities, informal settings, or with non-sterile instruments. 6% of infants born to infected mothers get HCV. HCV is rarely spread by sexual transmission, but it is possible.

Many people with HCV do not have symptoms. If symptoms occur, they caninclude: fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, grey- colored stool, and yellowing of skin and eyes.

The only way to know if you have HCV is to get tested. Doctors use a blood test, called a Hepatitis C Antibody Test, which looks for antibodies to the virus. A positive or reactive Hepatitis C Antibody Test means that a person had been infected with the HCV at some point in time. However, a positive antibody test does not necessarily mean a person still has HCV. An additional test called an RNA test is needed to determine if a person is currently infected with HCV.

HCV can be treated. Treatment depends on many different factors, so it is important to see a doctor experienced in treating HCV. New and improved treatments are available that can cure HCV for many people.

Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent HCV. There are ways to reduce the risk of becoming infected with HCV:

• Avoid sharing or reusing needles, syringes, or any other equipment to prepare and inject drugs, steroids, hormones, or other substances.

• Do not use personal items that may have come into contact with an infected person’s blood, even in amounts too small to see, such as razors, nail clippers, toothbrushes, or glucose monitors.

• Do not get tattoos or body piercings from an unlicensed facility or in an informal setting.