Hepatitis C is just one of many possible causes of infection of the liver.

Many people with Hepatitis C do not have symptoms and do not know they are infected. If symptoms occur, they can include: fever, feeling tired, not wanting to eat, upset stomach, throwing up, dark urine, grey-colored stool, joint pain, and yellow skin and eyes.

Over time, chronic Hepatitis C can cause serious health problems including liver disease, liver failure, and even liver cancer.

More information about Hepatitis C can be found online at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While test supplies last, Health Departments in the West Central Health District will be offering free hepatitis C tests to those who meet the flowing risk factors:

If you:

• Were born from 1945 – 1965
• Have received tattoos in a non-professional setting such as homes, friends, prison
• Have a history of Incarceration
• Have ever injected drugs, even if it was just once or many years ago
• Received a Blood Transfusion prior to 1992
• Received Clotting Factors prior to 1987
• Have or had Sexual and household contacts to an Hepatitis C infected person
• Are a health Care workers with needle stick exposure history
• Are HIV Positive
• Received donated blood or organs before 1992
• Have certain medical conditions, such as chronic liver disease and HIV or AIDS
• Have abnormal liver tests or liver disease
• Have been exposed to blood from a person who has Hepatitis C
• Are on hemodialysis
• Are born to a mother with Hepatitis C

If you have any of these risk factors it’s important to get tested.

The free Ora Sure Hepatitis C test is a quick fingerstick and takes only about 20 minutes to process. The test has greater than 98% accuracy and tests for multiple Hepatitis C genotypes at the same time.

County Health Departments offering the free hepatitis C testing include: Columbus, Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor and Webster.

If you have further questions, please contact your county health department.