2 Million + Tests By Our Partners
More Than 2 Million Tests Safely Completed By Our Partners
Top three reasons to consider testing yourself for an STI
new STI cases in 2018
of the new STI cases were
among youth aged 15-24
people in the USA have an STI
Hepatitis C is a transmissible liver infection. It is the hepatitis C virus or HCV which causes it. It is a severe liver disease that can lead to liver scarring and even cancers of the liver if left untreated. Hepatitis C spreads through the sharing of drug administering apparatus, non-sterile medical, grooming, and tattoo equipment. It also spreads during blood transfusions, unprotected sex, and childbirth.
Recent data released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) estimated an average of 2.4 million people in the U.S. live with Hepatitis C. The figures could potentially be higher with numerous unregistered cases. Getting a hepatitis C test is crucial in these circumstances.
Top three reasons to consider testing yourself for an STI
new STI cases in 2018
of the new STI cases were
among youth aged 15-24
people in the USA have an STI
A hepatitis C test is generally recommended to anyone who was born between 1945-1965. It is advised for babies whose mothers have the virus. Illicit drug users and those with abnormal liver function should also get the test. Health care and emergency workers exposed to the virus, people with a history of incarceration too need to be tested.
Other potential carriers include those with HIV and those with sexual relations with a partner who has the virus. Those who’ve had long-term hemodialysis treatments, especially before 1987. and transfused blood or transplanted organs before 1992 are also strongly advised to get a hepatitis C test.
Symptoms of hepatitis C include jaundice and susceptibility to bleeding and bruising. People may also experience a lack of appetite, fatigue, and itchy skin. Several other symptoms include swelling of the legs, murky urine, and weight-loss.
Hepatitis C may also cause a build-up of fluid in your abdomen. Some people also feel increasingly tired, confused with the slurring of their speech. Spider angiomas or spiderlike blood vessels may also appear on the skin in some instances.
Chronic hepatitis C may lead to liver scarring (cirrhosis), liver cancer, or even liver failure.
A hepatitis C test requires a blood test. The test helps determine whether a person has the hepatitis C virus by checking the level of antibodies present in the person’s body. This makes it easy to treat the infection acutely.
Hepatitis C tests look for anti-HCV antibodies. It is a group of proteins released by the body while fighting back the virus. Anti-HCV antibodies usually appear 12 weeks after exposure to the virus.
With 4,500 testing labs nationwide, getting a hepatitis C test is easy. Visit a testing lab near you to book an appointment or place an order for a test kit online. You can take tests without a doctor’s requisition if you’re of 16 years or above. You can get results in a few days.
A hepatitis C test is essential to identify the extent of a person’s infection, if there is one. This makes treating the condition much more effective.
Getting tested is the first step towards responsibility in the maintenance of a person’s sexual health. Also, it helps the patient and those who might be at risk of the infection, like loved ones and partners.
Top three reasons to consider testing yoursef for and STI
new STI cases in 2018
of the new STI cases were
among youth aged 15-24
people in the USA have an STI
Top three reasons to consider testing yoursef for and STI
new STI cases in 2018
of the new STI cases were
among youth aged 15-24
people in the USA have an STI
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