Chronic Hepatitis C is a long-term illness that occurs after exposure to the Hepatitis C virus.  Some people exposed to the Hepatitis C virus clear the infection on their own. In the other 75-85% of people who do not naturally clear the infection, it will turn into Chronic Hepatitis C.  If left untreated, Chronic Hepatitis C can lead to liver damage, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and even death.

The Hepatitis C virus is highly contagious and can be spread easily through blood and other bodily fluids.  Because symptoms are not always present, this makes controlling transmission more difficult and cases continue to occur. There is no vaccination for hepatitis C, so prevention measures are very important.  By using bloodborne pathogen safety measures and condoms, you can protect yourself and others from Hepatitis C.

Cases of Chronic Hepatitis C in the state of Ohio are reported by providers and laboratories to local health departments using a system called Ohio Disease Report System (ODRS). This allows for local health departments (LHDs) to accurately monitor and investigate any case of disease requiring follow-up, isolation/exclusion, or guidance to prevent further transmission. This also allows LHDs to collect accurate data on how many cases of certain disease they have in their county to create graphs like the one you see! Using data from previous years, public health professionals can create threshold data to get a detailed prediction of what is “normal” for their county during a specific period.

Currently, when a case of Chronic Hepatitis C is reported to the health department, a phone call is made to the infected individual. This allows for monitoring to ensure that individuals are aware of the infection and getting treated to prevent further transmission. Reporting cases also collects important data to ensure no outbreaks occur within our county.

Marion Public Health also offers testing and treatment for Hepatitis C through their Sexual Health Clinic. This clinic ensures that no patient goes without services, no matter their ability to pay. You can find more information for the STD testing and the clinic here: Sexual Health Clinic

Marion Public Health (MPH) engages with providers every time we request treatment information for an individual. MPH also provides referrals to those who may need follow up care for their Hepatitis C.