Hepatitis A and C can be easily confused, but their differences are very real. Learn what you can do to protect yourself from both. Hepatitis A and C can be easily confused, but their differences are very real.For instance, Hepatitis C (HCV) often presents no visible symptoms for decades. While HCV infects over 3.2 million, while most sufferers do not even know that they have the disease.Chronic infection with HCV can last a lifetime, leading to serious consequences including liver scarring, cancer and death.However, Hepatitis C IS curable, so it's important for people to know whether or not they carry the condition. Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus.You're most likely contract hepatitis A from contaminated food, water, or from close contact with someone who's infected. Most people recover with no permanent liver damage, although it can turn into chronic hepatitis, which is a severe illness lasting several months.In April, 2013 a Hepatitis A outbreak spread across the nation. The outbreak was linked to Townsend Farms Organic antioxidant frozen berry/pomegranate mix. Dr. Lisa Oldson, MD, explains what you need to know about these tricky illnesses, including the symptoms, treatment options and why age-based screening is so important.