Anyone can get the hepatitis C virus, and 3 in 4 people with the virus were born from 1945 to 1965, members of the baby-boom generation. Younger generations have benefited from universal precautions against the virus spreading and mandatory infection control procedures. The virus was eliminated from the blood supply by 1992 after widespread screening was adopted.

How does a person get hepatitis C? Transmission happens through contact with blood from an infected person, and certain risk factors can make infection more likely.

You have a higher risk of hepatitis C if you:

• Have ever injected or snorted illicit drugs
• Have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Received a tattoo or piercing in an unsterile environment or with unsterile equipment
• Were ever in prison
• Are a health care worker who has been exposed to infected blood
• Received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992
• Received blood-clotting drugs before 1987
• Have been on dialysis for a long time
• Were born to a woman with hepatitis C
• Have had sex with someone with hepatitis C or with many partners

Hepatitis C causes liver inflammation and can lead to severe liver damage, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and even liver cancer. Half of the people with hepatitis C don’t know that they are infected. This is because they have no symptoms, which can take decades to appear.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a one-time blood screening test for those who have an increased risk of infection. The only way to know if you have hepatitis C is to be tested.

Symptoms may include fatigue, nausea, fever, jaundice and muscle aches.

Hepatitis C is curable as long as you find out.

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Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation and can lead to severe liver damage, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and even liver cancer. It spreads through contact with blood from an infected person.

Half of the people with hepatitis C don’t know that they are infected. This is because they have no symptoms, which can take decades to show up.

Anyone can get hepatitis C, but 3 in 4 people with the virus were born from 1945 to 1965. Younger generations have benefited from universal precautions against the virus spreading and mandatory infection control procedures. The virus was eliminated from the blood supply by 1992 after widespread screening was adopted.

You have a higher risk of hepatitis C if you:

• Were born between 1945 and 1965
• Have ever injected or snorted drugs
• Have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Received a tattoo or piercing
• Were ever in prison
• Are a health care worker who has been exposed to infected blood or body fluids
• Received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992
• Received blood-clotting drugs before 1987
• Have been on dialysis for a long time
• Were born to a woman with hepatitis C
• Have had sex with someone with hepatitis C or with many partners
• Have symptoms of liver disease

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a one-time blood screening test for those who have an increased risk of infection. The only way to know if you have hepatitis C is to be tested.

Symptoms may include fatigue, nausea, fever, jaundice and muscle aches.

Hepatitis C is curable as long as you find out and complete treatment. Get tested so you can have a longer, healthier life.

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People born between 1945 and 1965 are the largest group living with hepatitis C, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many people have hepatitis C and don’t know it. Getting tested is the only way to find out.

Who should get tested for hepatitis C?

• If you were born between 1945 and 1965.
• If you injected or snorted drugs.
• If you have a tattoo or body piercing.
• If you had contact with infected blood or body fluids.
• If you have been on dialysis for a long time.
• If you have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Advances in treatment are giving millions of people with chronic hepatitis C a chance for a longer, healthier life without the virus. It fact, it is curable in as little as eight weeks.

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Norton Healthcare has been screening pregnant women for hep C since May 2016. During the past two years, more than 15,000 women have been screened, and 4 percent of them have tested positive for active infection. This exceeds the rate of infection in baby boomers (3 percent), which currently is the only group the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends screening because of its high infection rate.

Hep C is an infection caused by a virus that attacks the liver and leads to inflammation. The infection can have short- and long-term effects on health. If left untreated, hep C can lead to liver failure, liver cancer and even death.

“We have seen an uptick in the number of hepatitis C cases in Kentucky,” said Nicholas A. Ryan, M.D., OB/GYN with Woman’s Care Physicians of Louisville, a Part of Norton Women’s Care. “And even though someone may consider themselves at a very low risk for hep C, you never know. Testing all women at the initial prenatal visit eliminates that concern or identifies an opportunity for treatment.”

According to the CDC, a mother can transmit hep C to her baby in three ways: during pregnancy, during delivery or up to 27 days after the baby’s birth.

Pregnant women who test positive cannot begin treatment until after they give birth. They are provided education on the disease and lifestyle habits until the baby is born.

After delivery, it can take two months for the hep C virus to be detected in the baby.

“Post-delivery, the baby is carrying mom’s antibodies for up to 18 months,” said Michelle Rose, population health manager, Norton Healthcare. “Testing the baby for hep C any sooner is not preferred because the test is painful and requires too much blood, depleting the infant’s blood volume. Cord blood testing also is not recommended because the majority of infants in the U.S. acquire the infection during the birthing process.”

Statistically, 5 percent to 15 percent of infants born to a woman with active hep C will go on to develop chronic hep C that requires treatment.

The mother usually is screened for the virus again six weeks after delivery. If she tests positive for an active infection, she can begin treatment to cure the infection. If she tests negative, additional screening may be recommended annually. Infants should be closely followed by their pediatricians so that testing can be done between 18 and 24 months and treatment can begin if needed.

Kentucky is the first state to pass the hep C testing regulation for pregnant women. Data collected from Kentucky could prompt other states to mandate the testing.

“It’s a great moment for Kentucky and for us to ensure we are taking care of our women and our children,” Rose said. “This is a positive step toward controlling hep C because we are not only treating mom, but also screening the children and treating them if they are infected as well.”

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Top risks for HCV

• Born between 1945 and 1965 (baby boomers)
• Received a blood or organ transplant before 1992
• Received dialysis for a long period of time
• Injected or inhaled illicit drugs
• Have HIV
• Received a tattoo in an unsterile environment

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all baby boomers get tested for chronic HCV. Many of those infected may not have symptoms for years and often do not know they have the virus.

Chronic HCV is a very serious illness. Left untreated over time, it can cause liver disease, liver failure and even liver cancer. But it is curable if caught soon enough through screening and follow-up care.

The reason for the high rates among baby boomers is not entirely understood. One possible cause is infection from medical equipment or procedures before universal precautions and infection control procedures were adopted.

With the help of a grant from Gilead Sciences, Norton Healthcare is increasing its screening  for chronic hepatitis. In addition, Norton Infectious Disease Specialists has hired additional physicians and added a second location to meet growing demand.

Patients who test positive can be seen within 72 hours for evaluation and treatment at Norton Infectious Disease Specialists. Treatment with medication generally runs from 12 to 24 weeks, depending on how advanced the disease has become.

For most people, chronic hepatitis shows no symptoms until liver problems have developed. If you’re a baby boomer, be proactive. Discuss the screening with your primary care physician. It’s best to be in the know!

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