From the Tram article on occult hepatitis.
Occult hepatits C virus persistence: identification and characteristics
By Tram N.Q. Pham, PhD, and Tomasz I. Michalak, MD, PhD
"Natural course of HCV infection
In the majority of newly infected patients, hepatitis C is a clinically asymptomatic disease characterized by the appearance
of HCV RNA in serum, which is detectable in one to three
weeks after exposure to virus by current clinical laboratory
assays. Elevation for up to eight times in serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT) level, which is the hallmark biochemical
indicator of liver injury, may be seen two to eight weeks after
infection. Symptoms of the acute hepatitis, which are observed
in one-third of the patients and may include malaise, weakness,
jaundice, and abdominal pain, tend to subside as the ALT levels
decline...."
Mike
For me, it seems I was infected at the end of July 2005 when I had an emergency endoscope done at a local hospital. Sure as shootin', six weeks to the day later, I was back in another hospital with severe jaundice, white stools, flourescent urine, and all that other "acute" stuff. I had no other history for infection except that. I started Pegasys/Riba 1200 June 2 with a VL of 100,000 and was UND at week 4 and 12. I'm part of the IDEAL study and it's been a good experience. I've been told many times that I was lucky I had acute symptoms. For one, it indicates a strong immune system doing its damndest to kill the virus on its own. It also is a good indicator of a recent infection, less damage to the liver (I was 1/1), etc. Good luck to you.
I'm not sure when I got the stuff either. It could have been those airgun shots at the border, my wild thing lifestyle, crazy xhusband, or hospital procedures. I do remember my x having hep B and I got a little sick.I had the light stools, dark urine, but wasn't sick much. It was over quickly. X got it really bad.(the dr. said I was a carrier years later as I never went to the dr for it). In the 80's (x was heroin addict and died of AIDS). It wasn't until the mid ninties that I had septis from a hospital and ended up with high enymes, fever, severe joint pain, etc. in the hospital. They dx'ed me with Hep C. Said I didn't have Hep B after all. So, in your scenario Jim, maybe I was fighting the stuff off? That sounds good to me, kinda made my day actually.
But I still don't know for sure. It doesn't really matter now, but it does make me curious where I got it. Maybe a little revenge on the culprit right about Riba time. LOL
If I'm correct, I contracted HCv nearly 30 yrs ago. At least that's when I was involved with at-risk behaviours.
I think the very nature of this disease to lie dormant for so many years (decades) it part of the problem of trying to identify if there are symptoms related to it's infection.
I do not every recall being jaundiced until recently, but then I was into a 1/5 or more of scotch a night too and attributed to the drinking at the time. Also, if I did actually contract it 30 years ago, then I barely remember much of that time period, let alone any symptoms I may have had <G>.
Most people don't have a symptomatic acute stage.
As someone who did, consider yourself lucky. 36 years ago I was in bed for two months with EXTREME fatigue, LRQ, vineyard urine, snow white stools and jaundice, not to mention sky-high enzymes -- well into the thousands if I remember correctly. Two similar relapses over the next four years.
The only plus is that some suggest that those with an acute stage may have a better chance at SVR on the treatment drugs. The reasoning I imagine is that the immune system has already launched an attack on the virus (3 attacks in my case) and therefore is somewhat primed, or at least has demonstrated it's game even thought not strong enough to win without the drugs. Just my thoughts there.
What is it, "three times a charm", with me it was four.
Be well and don't let the Gremlins bite tonight.
-- Jim
I never remember experiencing any symptoms when I got it either. I have had it for almost 20 years I figure. I was in a bad automobile accident and in intensive care for a week. That was in 87'. I figure I most likely got it then from a blood transfusion. That is why they say it is one of the silent diseases because you have it for many years and never know it. Any flu like symptoms you may have had would have been passed off as just that, the flu. I was never Jaundiced. I found out like many when I attempted to donate blood. Like everyone else was mortified when I got the letter saying it was rejected because of Hep C.