Can people with no symptoms pass hepatitis C to others?
Yes. Infected persons, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not, can transmit their infection to others. How is hepatitis C diagnosed? A test is now available to identify antibody (proteins produced by the immune system in response to the virus) to HCV, which is present in approximately 50 percent of persons with early hepatitis C infections and in almost all with chronic hepatitis C infections. There are other tests that can confirm a positive antibody test result and tell the physician if the infection is causing damage to the liver. A liver biopsy sometimes is needed to enable the physician to determine the degree of damage to the liver. How is hepatitis C treated? There are no specific treatments for the symptoms of acute hepatitis C. Doctors recommend bed rest, preventing dehydration, a healthy diet and avoidance of alcoholic beverages. Most patients with mild to severe hepatitis C begin to feel better in two to three weeks and recover completely from their symptoms within
