LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Hepatitis C: Persons
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Such may be the case in Las Vegas, when patients at a clinic that performs endoscopy procedures were infected with the hepatitis C virus. It seems that personnel at the clinic used unsafe practices when it came to giving medications while performing procedures. It is reported that the contamination came from syringes that were reused on multiple patients. As well, anesthetic drugs packaged for single patient use were given to multiple patients. Dr. Lawrence Sands, the chief medical officer of the Southern Nevada Health District, said that the unclean and unsafe injection practices had been going on for years.
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After a person is infected with hepatitis C, it takes several weeks before the infection is established in the liver. This is called the incubation period. Most people (86%) with hepatitis C do not know that they are infected because they do not feel sick. Some people do get mild symptoms that are flu-like, such as nausea, fatigue (feeling tired), loss of appetite, fever, headaches, and abdominal pain. Jaundice (yellow eyes or skin) may occur but is not common. These symptoms may last a few days or weeks and then go away.
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A person with hepatitis C should never drink alcohol because it may cause further damage to the liver. Check with your health care provider about tests, regular monitoring, and vaccination for other forms of hepatitis such as hepatitis A and B. Also, consult with your health care provider about all medications you are taking, including nonprescription and herbal remedies, to make sure they do not affect the liver.
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Many people do not experience any symptoms when they become infected with hepatitis C. Symptoms may emerge later, taking anywhere between 15 and 150 days to develop. Occasionally a person will not develop any symptoms and their immune system will successfully clear the virus without their knowledge. An infected person without symptoms can still act as a carrier and pass the virus on to others.
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Persons who have injected illicit drugs, including those who injected only once or occasionally many years ago and who may not consider themselves to be drug users, should be tested for hepatitis C infection. Because of similar risk factors for infection, drug users should ... be tested for HIV and hepatitis B. Those at risk should receive immunization for hepatitis A and B. Persons with known HIV infection should be screened for HCV as well.
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The risk of transmitting HCV sexually is low compared to hepatitis B and AIDS. In marriages and long-term relationships with monogamous partners, it is often the case that one person is HCV positive and the partner is HCV negative. The current medical recommendation is that in these circumstances, sexual practices need not be changed. However, when people have multiple sex partners or new partners, they should never engage in unprotected sex.
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