We're reading up on this disease and do know that there is a possible medication which may be available shortly. Thanking you in advance for any response you can give. Dear agreene, Hepatitis C is now considered one of the most common causes of chronic hepatitis in the United States. It is most commonly transmitted by percutaneous blood exposure and less likely sexually. Most cases are in patients who experimented with intravenous drugs in the distant past, had blood transfusions or blood products prior to the late 1980s, used cocaine intranasally, had tattoos or pierced body parts.
Sexual transmission can occur with multiple sexual partners or after having sex with prostitutes.
It is important to realize that it takes many years before liver function tests become abnormal. It is impossible to state with certainty where one stands in the spectrum of liver disease just by looking at the elevation of the liver enzymes. One could just have inflammation in the liver or one could have scar tissue, cirrhosis or advanced liver disease even with minimally elevated liver enzymes. For this reason many gastroenterologists and hepatologists recommend performing a liver biopsy prior to commencing treatment. A liver biopsy is a test where a needle is introduced into the right side of the abdomen and a tissue specimen is sent to the lab for review by a pathologist.