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Hepatitis C Treatment in Pune

What Is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It can cause short-term infection or persist as chronic infection, and chronic hepatitis C can progressively damage the liver if it is not diagnosed and treated.

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Hepatitis C Can Be Asymptomatic

Many people with hepatitis C have few or no symptoms, particularly in the earlier stages. This means a person may have an HCV infection without knowing it.

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Chronic Infection Can Affect the Liver Over Time

Persistent HCV infection can cause ongoing liver inflammation and damage. In some patients, this can progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis or liver cancer

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Hepatitis C Is Treatable

Modern direct-acting antiviral medicines can cure hepatitis C in most people. Treatment selection depends on the patient’s HCV status, liver condition, previous treatment and other relevant clinical factors.

Clinical pathway

How Does Hepatitis C Spread?

Hepatitis C is primarily transmitted when blood containing HCV enters another person's bloodstream. Understanding the route of exposure helps identify people who may benefit from testing.

1

Blood-to-Blood Exposure

HCV can spread through exposure to infected blood.

2

Unsafe Injection or Medical Exposure

Sharing contaminated needles or equipment can transmit HCV. Appropriate infection-control practices reduce healthcare-associated transmission.

3

Past Blood Exposure

People with a history of certain blood or medical exposures may be advised to undergo hepatitis C testing.

4

Other Potential Exposures

HCV can also be transmitted through certain other blood exposures. Individual risk assessment should be based on the patient's history.

What Are the Symptoms of Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C often causes no noticeable symptoms, especially early in the infection. When symptoms occur, they may include fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, pale stools or jaundice.

Donor assessment

Persistent Tiredness or Weakness

Fatigue can occur with hepatitis C and other liver conditions.

Recipient assessment

Loss of Appetite or Nausea

Some people may experience reduced appetite, nausea or general digestive discomfort.

Compatibility and graft assessment

Abdominal Discomfort

Some patients may experience discomfort in the upper abdomen.

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Dark Urine or Pale Stools

Changes in urine or stool colour can occur when liver function or bilirubin handling is affected.

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Jaundice

Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes can occur when bilirubin builds up.

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Symptoms May Be Absent

A person can have active hepatitis C without obvious symptoms, so testing is important when exposure or other clinical indications are present.

When Should Hepatitis C Be Evaluated?

People with a known or suspected exposure to hepatitis C, or symptoms that raise concern for liver disease, should be assessed by a clinician and tested when appropriate.

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Multidisciplinary care

What Are the Complications of Hepatitis C?

Untreated chronic hepatitis C can cause progressive liver damage. The risk of complications depends on the duration of infection, the extent of liver injury and other patient-specific factors.

1

Liver Fibrosis

Long-term inflammation can lead to increasing liver scarring.

2

Cirrhosis

Advanced scarring can impair liver function and increase the risk of complications.

3

Liver Failure

Severe advanced liver disease can result in significant loss of liver function.

4

Liver Cancer

Chronic hepatitis C, particularly when cirrhosis is present, is associated with an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

5

Portal Hypertension & Its Complications

Advanced cirrhosis can lead to increased portal pressure and complications such as variceal bleeding and ascites.

6

Kidney or Other
Organ Dysfunction

Advanced liver disease may be associated with dysfunction of other organs and requires specialist monitoring.

What Are the Signs That Hepatitis C Has Caused Advanced Liver Disease?

Jaundice, abdominal fluid accumulation, gastrointestinal bleeding, confusion or worsening liver function can indicate advanced liver disease and require specialist assessment.

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Diagnosis

How Is Hepatitis C Diagnosed and Evaluated?

The testing pathway distinguishes previous exposure from active infection and helps the liver team understand whether treatment is required and whether liver damage is already present.

Blood Tests

HCV Antibody Test

Imaging & Liver Assessment

HCV RNA Test

Severity Assessment

Liver Assessment

Find the Cause

Medication Review

Cancer Surveillance

Co-infection Checks

Transplant Assessment

Advanced Liver Disease

Is a Positive Hepatitis C Antibody Test Enough to Diagnose Active Infection?

No. A reactive hepatitis C antibody test shows previous exposure to HCV. An HCV RNA test is used to determine whether the virus is currently detectable.

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Patient Journey

How Is Hepatitis C Treated?

Hepatitis C is treated primarily with oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) medicines. Modern treatment can cure most patients, with the specific regimen and duration selected according to the patient’s HCV status, liver condition, previous treatment and other clinical factors.

1

Confirm Active HCV

Confirm that HCV infection is currently active using the appropriate testing pathway.

2

Assess the Liver

Evaluate liver health and determine whether fibrosis, cirrhosis or other liver complications are present.

3

Select DAA Therapy

Choose an appropriate direct-acting antiviral regimen based on the patient’s clinical circumstances.

4

Complete the Treatment Course

Take the prescribed antiviral medicines for the recommended duration and attend follow-up as advised.

5

Confirm Cure

Post-treatment HCV RNA assessment is used to establish sustained virologic response and virologic cure.

6

Continue Liver Care When Needed

Patients with established cirrhosis or other residual liver disease may require continued follow-up even after HCV cure.

Can Hepatitis C Be Cured?

Yes. Modern direct-acting antiviral medicines can cure hepatitis C in most people. The appropriate treatment and outcome depend on individual clinical factors.

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What Happens After Hepatitis C Treatment?

The goal of treatment is sustained virologic response, meaning that HCV RNA is no longer detectable at the appropriate post-treatment assessment. If cirrhosis or significant liver disease was present before cure, ongoing liver follow-up may still be required.

1

AConfirm Virologic Cure

Follow-up HCV RNA testing is used to determine whether the virus remains undetectable after treatment.

2

Continue Follow-Up When Cirrhosis Is Present

Curing hepatitis C does not necessarily reverse established cirrhosis. Patients with cirrhosis may continue to need liver monitoring and surveillance for complications, including liver cancer.

3

Reinfection Is Possible

Successful treatment does not create protective immunity. A person can acquire hepatitis C again after a new exposure.

4

Long-Term Liver Care May Include

Follow-up based on liver stage; surveillance when cirrhosis is present; management of other liver conditions; review of alcohol and other liver-health risks; prevention of future HCV exposure.

Can Hepatitis C Come Back After Treatment?

Successful treatment can cure the current infection, but it does not create protective immunity. A person can become reinfected after a new exposure to HCV.

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What Happens When Hepatitis C Causes Advanced Liver Disease?

Hepatitis C can become clinically more complex when chronic infection has already caused significant fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver cancer or complications of advanced liver disease. These patients may require coordinated hepatology, gastroenterology, transplant surgery and supportive care.

1

Advanced or Decompensated Liver Disease

Patients with advanced liver disease may develop complications such as ascites, gastrointestinal bleeding, jaundice, hepatic encephalopathy or kidney dysfunction.

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2

Liver Cancer

Patients with chronic liver disease may require appropriate surveillance and specialist evaluation when liver cancer is suspected or diagnosed.

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3

When Antiviral Treatment Is Not the Only Issue

For patients who already have advanced liver disease, treatment of HCV is only one part of care. The liver team may also need to manage complications and assess whether additional advanced liver-care pathways are required.

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4

The Care Plan May Involve

Managing complications of advanced liver disease; closer specialist monitoring; nutritional and supportive care; liver cancer surveillance when appropriate; assessment for advanced liver-care pathways.

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Hepatitis C and Liver Transplant in Pune

Most people with hepatitis C do not require a liver transplant. Antiviral treatment can cure the infection in most patients. Transplant evaluation becomes relevant when chronic hepatitis C has already caused advanced or decompensated liver disease, liver failure or other transplant-related indications..

1

Advanced or Decompensated Liver Disease

Transplant evaluation may be considered when liver function is significantly impaired or complications become difficult to control.

2

Recurrent or Serious Complications

Repeated or severe complications of advanced liver disease may require assessment for advanced treatment options.

3

Assessment of Overall Health

The transplant team evaluates liver disease severity together with overall health and other relevant medical factors.

4

Living- and Deceased-Donor Pathways

Where transplantation is appropriate, patients may be evaluated through living-donor or deceased-donor pathways subject to medical, legal and allocation requirements.

When Is Liver Transplant Considered for Hepatitis C?

Liver transplantation is considered for selected patients whose chronic hepatitis C has resulted in advanced liver disease, liver failure or other transplant indications. The decision is individualised and depends on liver function, complications, overall health and transplant eligibility.

1

Advanced Liver Failure

Significant loss of liver function may lead to transplant evaluation.

2

Decompensated Cirrhosis

Complications such as recurrent ascites, variceal bleeding or hepatic encephalopathy may indicate advanced disease requiring specialist assessment.

3

Liver Cancer in Selected Patients

Some patients with liver cancer may be evaluated for transplantation depending on tumour characteristics and established transplant criteria.

Our Doctors

Meet Our Liver Transplant Surgeons & Hepatology Team

Dr. Manoj Shrivastav, HOD at Multi-Organ Transplant

Dr. Manoj Shrivastav

MBBS · DNB (General Surgery) · Fellowship in Liver Transplantation, Global Hospital, Chennai

Dr. Manoj Shrivastav is a liver transplant surgeon at Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, and currently leads the multi-organ transplant programme. He has personally completed over 200 liver transplants in Pune, 100 of them in the past year alone, with a survival rate above 95% and a one-year survival rate of 92% across his transplant series.

800+
Liver transplants
in Pune
95%+
Survival
rate
92%
One-year
survival rate

He is equipped to handle acute surgical emergencies and trauma across a variety of scenarios, has performed major liver resections for hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma, and believes a successful transplant depends on excellent teamwork across the entire clinical team — not one surgeon alone.

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FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions About Hepatitis C

Can Hepatitis C Be Cured?

Yes. Modern direct-acting antiviral medicines can cure hepatitis C in most people. The exact treatment and outcome depend on individual clinical factors.

How Long Does Hepatitis C Treatment Take?

Many modern oral DAA treatment courses are short and commonly last around 8–12 weeks, although the appropriate regimen and duration depend on the patient’s clinical circumstances.

Is a Positive Hepatitis C Antibody Test Enough to Diagnose Active Infection?

No. A reactive antibody test indicates previous exposure to HCV. HCV RNA testing is used to determine whether there is current active infection.

Does Hepatitis C Cause Cirrhosis?

Chronic untreated hepatitis C can cause progressive liver damage and may eventually lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Is There a Vaccine for Hepatitis C?

There is currently no vaccine that prevents hepatitis C. Prevention therefore focuses on avoiding exposure to infected blood.

If I Am Cured, Can I Get Hepatitis C Again?

Yes. Successful treatment does not create protective immunity, so reinfection is possible after a new exposure.

Do Patients With Hepatitis C and Cirrhosis Still Need Follow-Up After Cure?

Yes. If cirrhosis is present, ongoing liver follow-up and appropriate surveillance may still be required even after HCV infection has been cured.

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Get Your Hepatitis C Reports Reviewed by a Liver Specialist

Bring your HCV antibody/RNA reports, liver tests, scans and current medication list to your consultation.

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