According to recent statistics, African Americans are almost twice as likely to die from a Hepatitis C infection when compared to other ethnicities. This statistic is related to the fact that the viral infection not only has an acute form but a chronic one as well.
To make sure you’re not at risk for developing long-term problems from Hepatitis C, you have to learn about the early signs that can be easy to miss.
Typical Symptoms of Hepatitis C
Once you’ve caught Hepatitis C, you’ll experience what is known as an acute infection. Unfortunately, the majority of persons have no symptoms at all at this stage. If there are symptoms, they can present themselves anywhere from 2 to 12 weeks after the initial infection and last up to 3 months.
Usually, you may have:
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Jaundice
- Fever
- Muscle aches
The acute stage of the virus is easily treated with medication so there is no need for it to get to the chronic stage.
Of course, a few people with the infection have had the virus pass harmlessly from their systems with no long-term effects.
For others, a chronic infection develops with an even longer list of symptoms. These include: