Hepatitis is a disease caused by a virus (bug) that affects your liver, making it swollen, and can cause scarring.

The liver is a very important organ in your body, which makes proteins that travel around in your blood, and also breaks down waste products so they can be passed out in urine (wee) or faeces (poo).

There are different types of hepatitis – A, B and C are the most common, others types are less common.

What’s hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is passed on mainly by infected blood. The virus enters the bloodstream and travels to the liver where it attacks the cells.

Hepatitis C starts slowly to begin with, but once the liver is scarred, it gets worse more quickly. Some people don’t have any symptoms of hepatitis C and so never know they have it. Other people develop liver damage, which can lead to liver failure.

How is the virus passed on?

It’s carried in the blood so the main way it is passed on is by contact with an infected person’s blood. You may be at risk if you had a blood transfusion before 1991, your mother had hepatitis C when you were born or if you’ve had medical or dental treatment abroad.

How will I know if I have hepatitis C?

The only way of checking for hepatitis C is through a blood test. Before you have the test, you’ll have the chance to meet the nurse to talk about the test and ask any questions. He or she won’t tell anyone else, like your GP or your school, about the test unless you want him or her to. He or she will ask you and your parents to sign a form to say so.

For more help and information

You can talk to your doctor or nurse, or get in touch with the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation on 0121 212 3839 or visit their website at www.childliverdisease.org.

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