Hepatitis C is a common liver infection that causes inflammation in the liver. Hepatitis C is spread through infectious blood or bodily fluids. The most common mode of transmission in the United States is through sharing needles. Hepatitis C can cause a multitude of symptoms such as fatigue and nausea, and even more sever conditions such as scarring of the liver and liver cancer. In 2016, it was estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that 2.4 million people were living with Hepatitis C. It is diagnosed using laboratory testing and is treatable. It is important to ensure you are seen by a provider and treated if necessary for Hepatitis C to prevent lifelong damage to your body.

Cases of reportable disease 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.

A positive test for Hepatitis C is reported by laboratories or providers across the state to the local health department (LHD). When Licking County Health Department (LCHD) receives a report of a positive test, LCHD reaches out to the provider to request additional information including reason for test, additional testing markers, and if the patient is symptomatic. This allows LCHD to monitor cases and ensure individuals are aware of the results so they can be connected with resources for treatment. If an individual is unable to get treatment or doesn’t have a provider, a referral can be made to a local clinic for consultation.

Licking County Health Department (LCHD) engages with providers every time we request treatment and symptom information for an individual. LCHD partners with Lower Lights in Newark to refer patients unable to get treatment as they operate on a sliding scale to make primary care more affordable. To get more information on getting tested for Hepatitis C or to get treatment, you may visit: Lower Lights Health.