By Dr. Vishnu Girish, MD, DM | Hepatologist in Kochi
Hepatitis C is a serious viral infection that silently settles inside the liver and stays there for years, sometimes decades, but with modern hepatitis C treatment, the prognosis has changed dramatically.
The challenge is that many patients don’t even know they have it.
Many of my patients walk in only after a routine blood test or insurance check up flags an abnormal liver enzyme. By that point, the virus may already be doing slow damage in the background.
What makes Hepatitis C different from Hepatitis A or E is the way it behaves. It rarely causes acute symptoms in the beginning. There is usually no fever, no yellow eyes, no obvious sickness.
The infection simply lingers, and over years it can lead to liver scarring, cirrhosis, and in some cases liver cancer.
The virus spreads mainly through blood-to-blood contact. In Kerala and across India, the most common routes I see in my clinic are unsafe injections, old blood transfusions done before proper screening came in, shared razors at salons, and unsterile tattoo or body piercing equipment. Sexual transmission is possible but much less common compared to Hepatitis B.
“Most people with Hepatitis C feel completely fine. That is exactly what makes it dangerous, and exactly why screening matters.”
Hepatitis C Treatment: How We Diagnose and Treat It Today
Diagnosis is straightforward. A simple blood test called Anti HCV antibody tells us if the body has ever been exposed to the virus. If that comes back positive, we confirm with an HCV RNA PCR test, which tells us whether the virus is currently active in the bloodstream. Further tests like FibroScan help us measure how much scarring, if any, has developed in the liver.
The real revolution has been on the treatment side. Until about a decade ago, Hepatitis C treatment meant nearly a year of injections with serious side effects, and even then, the cure rate was modest. Today, we have direct-acting antiviral tablets, taken for just twelve weeks, that cure more than 95 percent of patients. No injections, very few side effects, and most people return to normal life almost immediately.
For the patient I mentioned earlier, twelve weeks of oral medication cleared the virus completely. Her follow up tests now show the liver healing slowly. That kind of outcome was unimaginable when I was in training, and it still feels deeply rewarding to witness.
“The science of Hepatitis C has changed faster than almost any other field in hepatology. A diagnosis that once felt heavy is now, in most cases, a problem we can actually solve.”
If you have ever received a blood transfusion before 2002, undergone repeated surgical procedures, or simply never been screened, please consider asking your doctor about a one-time Hepatitis C test. It costs very little. It can save your liver, and sometimes your life.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can Hepatitis C be completely cured? Yes. With the new direct acting antiviral medications, more than 95 percent of patients are completely cured within twelve weeks. Cure here means the virus is fully eliminated from the body and does not come back, provided there is no fresh exposure.
- Is Hepatitis C contagious through normal daily contact? No. It does not spread through hugging, sharing food, kissing, or casual contact. The virus needs blood to blood transmission. Family members usually do not need to worry, though sharing razors, nail cutters, or toothbrushes should be avoided.
- I have no symptoms. Should I still get tested for Hepatitis C? If you have ever had a blood transfusion before 2002, undergone dialysis, used unsterile needles, or had a tattoo done in a non clinical setting, yes, please get tested. Hepatitis C usually has no symptoms until significant liver damage has already occurred.
- How do I find a good hepatologist in Kochi for Hepatitis C treatment? Look for a doctor with formal training in hepatology, ideally a DM in Hepatology or Gastroenterology. At my clinic in Kochi, we treat Hepatitis C regularly and also offer online liver consultation for patients from other parts of Kerala and India who cannot travel easily.
- Does Hepatitis C come back after treatment? Once the virus is cleared, it does not reactivate on its own, unlike Hepatitis B. However, you can get reinfected if you are exposed again through unsafe practices. Lifelong precautions around blood exposure are still important.
Dr. Vishnu Girish is a hepatologist and liver specialist based in Kochi, Kerala. He offers in-person consultations at his hepatology clinic in Kochi and online consultations for patients across India. Visit liverbyvishnu.comA patient I saw last month had been living with Hepatitis C for nearly fifteen years without knowing. She had received a blood transfusion during childbirth in the late 1990s, well before modern screening protocols. By the time she reached me, her liver had already developed early scarring. She was understandably shaken, but her story has a hopeful ending, which I will come to shortly.