text: does anyone know about hepetitus c, stage 2? my dad was recently diagnosed with hepetitus c.  he retreived it from a blood transfusion when he had open heart surgery in 1981. i want to know what to expect now.  he is turning 66 years old in august. anyone give me some info i would greatly appreciate it. hepatitis c is not as bad as it sounds. you can get treatment for this. as long as he doesn't drink alcohol he can get a liver transplant if worse comes to worse.    speaking, hepatitis is any inflammation of the liver. although it is often caused by a virus, other causes may include alcohol, medications that have a harmful effect on the liver, toxins, or autoimmune disorders.  in total, there are at least 7 known viral hepatitis strains: a, b, c, d, e, f, and g. of these viral forms, hepatitis c may be the leading infectious cause of chronic liver disease in the western world, affecting more than 170 million people worldwide. hepatitis a, which is not blood-borne, and hepatitis b, which is blood-borne, are also very widespread. only these viral forms of hepatitis, including hepatitis c, can be spread directly from one person to another.  examples of nonviral forms of hepatitis include alcoholic hepatitis (caused by excessive drinking), toxic/drug-induced hepatitis (caused by inhaling or swallowing certain toxins or medications such as acetaminophen), and autoimmune hepatitis (which occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own liver cells).  to learn about hepatitis c, including its causes, how it develops, and how to prevent its spread, see what is hepatitis c?  to learn more about hepatitis a, click here.  to learn more about hepatitis b, click here.  you may also want to visit role of the liver to learn more about the liver and how hepatitis affects this organ.  about hepatitis a  hepatitis a, often abbreviated as hav (hepatitis a virus), is extremely prevalent (widespread) in the u.s. population. in fact, 1 out of 3 americans has been infected at some point. however, most people who are infected with hepatitis a recover completely without treatment and, once the infection has subsided, develop lifelong immunity to the disease.  hepatitis a is transmitted primarily by the fecal-to-oral route through contaminated food or water, or because of poor hygiene habits. hepatitis a can also be contracted by eating shellfish from contaminated water sources. in the united states, people who live in communities with high rates of hepatitis a infection are considered at risk for contracting the disease.  people who are infected with hepatitis a generally develop flu-like symptoms, such as low-grade fever, aches, and mild abdominal pain within 10 to 40 days after exposure. in some individuals, these flu-like symptoms can be followed by jaundice (a yellowing of the eyes and skin). hepatitis a is an acute condition and most people clear the virus on their own without treatment. however, in fewer than 1% of cases, severe acute infections may lead to liver failure and to a need for liver transplantation. hepatitis a does not lead to the development of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, or liver cancer.  a vaccine is available to protect against hepatitis a. it is recommended for anyone who may be going to an area where there are increased rates of hepatitis a, including mexico, central america, sub-saharan africa, southeast asia, and the middle east. the vaccine is also recommended for people who might become seriously ill if they are infected with the virus.  hepatitis a can be avoided by washing hands with warm water and soap, particularly after using the toilet or changing diapers, and before preparing and eating food. good hygiene practices are particularly important for anyone who works with food.  for more information about hepatitis a, including risk factors and prevention, see the support library section.  about hepatitis b  hepatitis b, often abbreviated as hbv (hepatitis b virus), is transmitted through blood or blood products, through sexual contact, or from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth.  in the united states, an estimated 1.25 million people are infected with hepatitis b. according to the u.s. centers for disease control and prevention (cdc), about 30% of people who a