When is infection considered chronic?

[Guest guest]

Hi!

I've been reading the posts for a while, and would like to ask a question.

I'm 61 years old and positive for anti-HCV and anti-HBV. I was treated

for a bad case of Hep B in the early 1970's. They had not identified

HCV at that time.

My questions arose upon reading the following in a recent digest:

" The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES

III), conducted between 1988 and 1994, indicated that 1.8% of people

in the United States had been infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV),

70% of whom had chronic infection. "

What determines the difference between " infected " and " chronic? "

Also, I wonder how often I should have ALT tested, and how far off the

normal range it needs to be before I get concerned.

I have had my current PCP for over a year. I told him I tested

positive for both Hep B & C a couple years ago, and that I got B from

IV drug use 35 years ago, but he doesn't think anything in particular

needs to be done about that. He is an internal medicine specialist

with my Humana Medicare HMO.

Any guidance you might provide would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Pam in San , Texas