China is a big hepatitis B country, but little is known about hepatitis C, the “brother” of hepatitis B. Some data show that the number of hepatitis C incidence in China is increasing year by year; some experts boldly predict that as the population for hepatitis B infection protection knowledge and the promotion of hepatitis B vaccine, hepatitis B infection is bound to reduce, while the hepatitis C hazard will surface. According to the World Health Organization, the global rate of hepatitis C infection is 3%, it is estimated that about 180 million people are infected with the hepatitis C virus, and 35,000 new cases of hepatitis C are discovered each year, hepatitis C is the most important cause of death from liver disease in Europe, America and Japan. In China, the rate of hepatitis C virus infection in the general population is 3.2%, and there are about 38 million hepatitis C patients. The symptoms of the disease are so insidious that many patients do not notice the disease for a long time, and by the time they realize the seriousness of the disease, it has developed into cirrhosis or even liver cancer. What is hepatitis C? Hepatitis C is a form of viral hepatitis, a disease caused by infection with the hepatitis C virus. Although there are nearly 40 million people with hepatitis C in China, not many patients can actually be detected on a regular basis, which is due to a variety of factors. The public’s awareness of hepatitis C is relatively limited, as hepatitis B patients are more common in daily life, so we all know more about it. In the minds of many people, the only disease that endangers health and can cause cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer is hepatitis B. The insidiousness of hepatitis C is relatively strong, and many patients seldom have obvious symptoms of elevated transaminases and fatigue even if they have already contracted the disease, and individual patients can even hide their disease for 20 years before it suddenly strikes, but by then most of them have already developed into cirrhosis or liver cancer. At the same time, hepatitis C is not a routine test in many primary care hospitals and is not diagnosed and treated, which limits the necessary screening of the grassroots population. How to detect and treat Since this disease is so insidious, how should people detect it in time in their daily lives? Hepatitis C progresses very slowly, which is the reason why its clinical symptoms are relatively insidious. On the other hand, hepatitis C is more likely to turn into cirrhosis or liver cancer than hepatitis B. In particular, people with unexplained elevations in liver transaminases, close contacts with confirmed hepatitis C, and people who are on long-term hemodialysis or have frequent medical procedures such as infusions and injections that are not performed in a regular hospital are at high risk and should be tested for hepatitis C. The hepatitis C test is simple and involves checking for antibodies to hepatitis C. If the test is positive, further nucleic acid testing will be performed to confirm the final diagnosis. Unlike hepatitis B, there is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C. However, treatment with pegylated interferon in combination with ribavirin can result in a cure rate of 70 to 80 percent, with early stage patients even able to exceed 80 percent. How to protect yourself against infection The transmission routes of hepatitis C are not significantly different from those of hepatitis B, including transmission through blood (through blood transfusions and blood products and through broken skin and mucous membranes), sexual transmission and mother-to-child transmission. With the promotion of the use of disposable medical devices and strict blood source management measures in China, the incidence of hepatitis C caused by medical practices has decreased significantly. At the same time, “fashionable” transmission routes have emerged. For example, the use of unqualified medical institutions for traumatic medical operations such as tooth extraction, eyebrow tattooing, tattooing, manicure, pedicure, acupuncture, cupping and other minor wounds or breaks in skin and mucous membranes, and the sharing of personal hygiene products such as razors and toothbrushes. These can all be lines of invasion for the hepatitis C virus. A vaccine for hepatitis C is not yet available, so it is not possible to prevent it in advance by producing antibodies through vaccination, as is the case with hepatitis B. Therefore, it is important to strengthen your awareness of self-protection in your daily life, to minimize the number of blood transfusions if not necessary, and to minimize the chances of being infected by not getting tattoos and ear piercings, and to receive services at regular institutions if you really need them. If you do need to do so, you should also go to a regular institution to receive services. Finally, we should also be careful not to mix personal items such as toothbrushes and razors with others, as this is also very likely to lead to infection through blood transmission.