The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states "hepatitis C is a virus which causes inflammation of the liver." Hepatitis C can cause liver damage, cirrhosis and liver cancer. Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C. A blood test can diagnose it. It is also crucial that those infected with hepatitis C do not drink alcohol. Alcohol accelerates liver damage.
Hepatitis C is contagious. Acute and chronic hepatitis C are both forms of the hepatitis C virus. The first six months of hepatitis C is known as acute hepatitis C. Hepatitis C becomes chronic hepatitis C if the body can not rid itself of the virus. Hepatitis C becomes a chronic infection in 75-85 percent of people who are infected with the virus.
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