A question-My uncle just told us he has Hep C and when my mom asked him how he got it, he did not answer her. He had a very bad accident in 1980-way before HIV and blood was thoroughly tested for diseases. We have noticed that he has not looked right for the past 5 or 6 years-very tired, sick alot, but we just wrote it off to him working too much.

Is it possible that he contracted Hep C way back when from blood transfusions and its only showed up in the past few years. I know the incubation period is 2-26 weeks, but does that mean that someone is automatically symptomatic? Or did he contract this much more recently? If he did have it much earlier, is there a chance my cousin who was born in 1990 was it?

This all came out in the midst of a family blowout, so we really didn't get to discuss the situation at length with him, and are just trying to get some educated info.

Very possible that a transfusion in the 80's could have caused this. Hepatitis is not something that doctors routenely check for. I had high liver enzyme test results for years before I finally saw a doctor that had the brains to check for Hep. I was never really sure if I had symptoms or not becuase I have so many other medical problems.