Hepatitis C, the most common chronic blood borne illness in America, affects more around 4 million people in the United States and causes 8,000 to 10,000 deaths each year, according to the University of San Francisco. Seventy-five percent of people with acute hepatitis C infection develop chronic hepatitis C, and 20 to 30 percent of these develop cirrhosis, severe scarring of the liver, the Merck Manual reports. Only around 20 to 30 percent of people newly infected with the virus experience symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states.
Flu-like Symptoms
Initial infection with hepatitis C may cause fever, headaches and fatigue, along with flu-like symptoms, muscle aches and joint pains, Merck explains. Anicteric hepatitis, which appears as nothing more than a flu-like illness without jaundice or other symptoms, occurs more frequently than icteric disease in people with hepatitis C. Systemic signs of hepatitis C generally develop six to seven weeks after the initial infection, but may not appear for up to six months, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Jaundice
Early signs of hepatitis C related to abnormal liver functioning include icterus, also known as jaundice, a yellowish color noticeable in the sclera, the whites of the eyes and the skin. Dark or tea-colored urine and pale or clay-colored stools may also accompany jaundice. Jaundice is most noticeable during the first to second week of infection and then disappears after two to four weeks, Merck says.
Abdominal Symptoms
Nausea, profound lack of appetite and vomiting often appear as early abdominal signs of hepatitis C. Appetite may improve after the first week of infection, according to Merck. The upper right quadrant of the abdomen over the liver may be painful or tender to touch and the spleen, found in the upper left area of the abdomen, enlarges in 15 to 20 percent of people infected with hepatitis C, Merck also states.
Laboratory Tests
Blood screening for hepatitis C detects antibodies to the virus in over 97 percent of people within six months of exposure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes. Elevated liver enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase, or ALT, during routine blood testing may alert medical professionals to check for hepatitis C antibodies.
