Symptoms:

Most people who were recently infected with hepatitis C do not have symptoms. About 10% have jaundice that gets better.

Of people who get infected with HCV, most develop chronic HCV infection. Usually there are no symptoms.

If the infection has been present for many years, the liver may be permanently scarred, a condition called cirrhosis. In many cases, there may be no symptoms of the disease until cirrhosis has developed.

The following symptoms could occur with hepatitis C infection:

• Abdominal pain (right upper abdomen)
• Abdominal swelling (due to fluid calledascites)
• Bleeding from the esophagus or stomach (due to dilated veins in the esophagus or stomach called varices
• Dark urine
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Itching
• Jaundice
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Pale or clay-colored stools
• Vomiting

Signs and tests:

The following tests are done to help diagnose hepatitis C:

• EIA assay to detect hepatitis C antibody
• Hepatitis C RNA assays to measure virus levels (viral load)
• Hepatitis C genotype. Six genotypes exist. Most Americans have genotype 1 infection, which is the hardest to treat.

The following tests are done to identify and monitor liver damage from hepatitis C:

• Albumin level
• Liver function tests
• Prothrombin time

Liver biopsy can show how much damage has been done to the liver.