09/09/2024
HOW LONG IS THE INCUBATION PERIOD OF HEPATITIS C?
After HCV enters the body, it has a fairly long incubation period, from 2 weeks to 6 months, depending on the condition of each patient.
After initial infection, about 80% of people do not show any symptoms and anti-HCV tests still give negative results for the virus because the body has not had time to create antibodies against it. virus.
Acute hepatitis C: is a viral infection that develops in the first weeks or months after the hepatitis C virus enters a person's bloodstream. "Acute" means the illness is sudden and brief. short-lived, occurring within the first two weeks to six months.
In 25% of cases, the virus clears from the body without treatment. Without obvious signs of illness, most cases of acute hepatitis C lead to chronic infection.
Chronic hepatitis C: It is estimated that 75% to 85% of people with acute hepatitis C will have chronic infection, lasting at least 6 months and often longer. Even at this stage, most people have no symptoms, but that doesn't mean the infection is benign.
Each year, about 150 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus at risk of developing cirrhosis, liver cancer or liver failure leading to death. Hepatitis C is divided into two stages: acute hepatitis C and chronic hepatitis C.