Hepatitis C (HCV)

What is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a virus that affects your liver. Many people don’t feel sick at first, but over time it can cause serious liver problems, including cirrhosis or liver cancer. The good news: HCV is treatable and curable. Contact HealthSource’s Clinical Pharmacists to learn more about testing and treatment at 513-732-0870 ext. 3131.

How Hepatitis C Spreads

HCV spreads through blood. Common ways include:

Sharing needles, syringes, or other injection equipment
Blood transfusions before 1992
Unsterilized tattoo or piercing equipment
Occasionally through sexual contact

Prevention Tips:

Avoid sharing needles or personal items that might have blood
Use harm reduction services if injecting drugs
Ask your healthcare provider about HCV testing if you’re at risk
Practice safer sex

Testing

Who Should Get Tested?

CDC recommends hepatitis C testing for:

All adults 18 and older at least once in their lifetime.
Pregnant women, during each pregnancy.
People who currently inject drugs, or even did so once or long ago.
People who have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
People with abnormal liver tests, liver disease, or who are on hemodialysis.
People who received blood or organ donations before July 1992.
People who received clotting factor concentrate before 1987.
Health care, emergency medical, and public safety personnel after needle sticks, sharps, or mucosal exposures to hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive blood.
Infants and children born to people with known HCV infection.

Testing is simple: a blood test can check for hepatitis C. If positive, additional tests determine if the virus is active.

Treatment

Antiviral Medicine
- Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) can clear HCV from the body.
- Treatment usually lasts 8–12 weeks, depending on genotype, liver health, and prior treatments.
- Care teams monitor response and side effects during treatment.
- Newer antivirals are more effective, shorter, and better tolerated.
Liver Transplantation:
- Option for serious liver damage from chronic HCV.
- Transplant alone does not cure HCV; antivirals are often needed before or after.
Vaccinations:
- No vaccine exists for HCV.
- Vaccines for hepatitis A and B are recommended to protect liver health.

Hep C Treatment Locator

Resources

Ohio Department of Health – HCV Resource Guide: Offers a comprehensive guide to HCV resources across the state, including testing, treatment, and prevention services.
Community Liver Alliance – Ohio: Provides educational materials, support resources, and advocacy for individuals affected by liver diseases, including HCV.
HepVu –Hepatitis C Data and Resources: An online platform that shows HCV prevalence, testing, and mortality data across the U.S., down to state and county level.
CDC –Hepatitis C: Basics, symptoms, testing, prevention, treatment, and tools/resources related to Hepatitis C.
Help-4-Hep – Hepatitis C Peer Support & Referral Service: A free, confidential peer-to-peer helpline for people affected by Hepatitis C.

424 Wards Corner Rd
Suite 200
Loveland, OH 45140

513-576-7700

This health center is a Health Center Program grantee under 42 U.S.C. 254b, and a deemed Public Health Service employee under 42 U.S.C. 233(g)-(n). This health center receives HHS funding and has Federal Public Health Service (PHS) deemed status with respect to certain health or health-related claims, including medical malpractice claims, for itself and its covered individuals.

HealthSource of Ohio (HSO) complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate, exclude, or treat people differently on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.