Question: My daughter recently was diagnosed with hepatitis C after donating blood. She is only in her 20s and seems perfectly healthy. What does the future hold for her?

Dr. Hibberd's answer:
Hepatitis C is an infection caused by a virus that attacks the liver and leads to inflammation. Hepatitis C is one of several hepatitis viruses and is generally considered to be among the most serious of these viruses.
Most people infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) have no symptoms at first. In fact, most people don't know they have the hepatitis C infection until liver damage shows up decades later during routine medical tests. Hepatitis C is passed through contact with contaminated blood — most commonly through needles shared during illegal drug use.
Improved blood-screening tests became available in 1992. Before that year, it was possible to unknowingly contract hepatitis C through a blood transfusion. A small number of babies born to mothers with hepatitis C acquire the infection during childbirth. There is also a slim chance that she may transmit HCV sexually to her partner.
Long term complications that occur with HCV are: after 20 to 30 years, cirrhosis may occur that scars the liver and makes it difficult for it to function normally, and could lead to liver failure. A small percentage of persons are known to have also developed liver cancer.
Treatment for hepatitis C isn't always necessary. If she has only slight liver abnormalities, she may not need treatment, because her risk of future liver problems is very low. Her doctor may recommend follow-up blood tests to monitor for liver problems. Antiviral medications can clear the virus from the body. Her doctor may recommend a combination of medications taken over several weeks.
Once a course of treatment is completed, a blood test can reveal if HCV is still present, then her doctor may recommend a second round of treatment.
She can take the following precautionary measures: avoid alcohol, avoid medications that cause liver damage, eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly, do not donate blood, and have regular checkups with her doctor.