Hepatitis C

HOMEPAGE

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    Hepatitis C is a communicable disease that affects the liver.  It's cause is the Hepatitis C virus (hcv).  It is detected in the blood of those that are infected and spreads to another person when contact is made with that blood.  It can be contracted in such ways as sharing needles while participating in intravenous drug use, by child from mother during childbirth, while practicing unsafe sex, receiving a blood transfusion, getting a body piercing or tattoo, or any other situation that involves potential blood to blood exposure. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 170 million people worldwide and 4 million in the United States. There are about 35,000 to 185,000 new cases a year in the United States.  Around 85% of those acutely infected (those within the first 6 months of contraction) with the virus become chronically infected. therefore, HCV is a major cause of chronic (lasting longer than six months) hepatitis. Once chronically infected, the virus is practically never without treatment. In some cases, HCV infection causes liver disease and even liver failure.

 

 

                                            

                                              HCV: potential problem for the  liver                                                                                           

                                                                  

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                             

                                                     

 

Symptoms

    The hepatitis C virus is generally detectable, in the blood, inside of one to three weeks after infection.  During the first six months of infection about 2/3 of those infected with Hepatitis c show virtually no symptoms.  Those that do will display a decrease in appetite and flu-like symptoms.  They will also experience bouts of fatigue, suffer from abdominal pain, exhibit cases of jaundice, and will have to put up with fits of itching. Roughly 25% of persons with HCV clear the virus from their system during the acute phase.  For those that do not, experience Chronic hepatitis.  Like acute hepatitis, Chronic is often asymptomatic.  However, those that do show signs of the disease can experience a wide range of  symptoms. Those symptoms linked to chronic hepatitis C include fatigue, weight loss, joint pain, muscle pain, flu like symptoms, sporadic low-grade fevers, itching, sleep disturbances, abdominal pain, appetite changes, nausea, diarrhea, dyspepsia, depression, headaches, and mood swings.

 

 

                                                

                                                                                  www.hepcvic.org

 

 

Transmission

    hepatitis C is transmitted by blood-to-blood contact.  it is estimated that 9 out of 10 people in the chronic stage of infection were infected through transfusion of unscreened blood or blood products or by intravenous drug use. In developing areas, the main reasons for HEPATITIS VIRAL infection are non sterilized equipment and infusion of POORLY screened blood.  Although injection drug use and receipt of infected blood are the most common routes of HEPATITIS VIRAL infection, any practice, activity, or situation that involves blood-to-blood exposure can potentially be a source of hepatitis infection.

 

 

         CDC figures for sources of infection in the US. Source         

        www.bodyofwealth.com                                    www.cdc.gov                                       got HCV? maybe...

                                                                                                             

                                                                                                            

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                            

                         

                                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                                                

Diagnosis       

      hepatitis C is very tough to diagnose during the acute phase of the disease because of the fact that most people show no symptoms. Those who do have symptoms are hardly ill enough to seek a doctor's attention. The diagnosis during the chronic phase of hepatitis C is also tough to do because of the same fact that there are also a lack of symptoms.  It is often determined by one's history, preliminary screenings, and a liver biopsy.  those assumed of having chronic hepatitis c consist of those having symptoms for chronic liver disease, those with a history of intravenous drug use or blood transfusions, and those with irregular lab tests that imply liver disease.  These patients are tested to see if they have serum antibodies in opposition to hcv.  if found in a person believed to have liver disease, this strongly recommends the diagnosis for chronic hepatitis c. If there are none it usually rules out a diagnosis.  Following a diagnosis, a liver biopsy is done to determine the seriousness of liver inflammation, fibrosis, and the presence or absence of cirrhosis. 

 

 

                               

                                                                                www.hepatitis-central.com

 

 

 

 

TREATMENT and prevention

    people having chronic hepatitis c should consult a specialist for potential treatments.  those who are younger than 70 years old that show active inflammation in the liver but who do not show signs of highly developed cirrosis are the best patients for treatment. There are a couple of treatments for hepatitis C.  TREATMENTS TRY TO ACCOMPLISH ONE OF TWO THINGS.  they AIM TO REMOVE THE VIRUS FROM A PERSON'S SYSTEM OR STOP OR SLOW THE DAMAGE IT MAY CAUSE THE LIVER.  the treatments approved by the food and drug administration are monotherapy and combination therapy.  monotherapy requires the infected to take interferon.  Interferon is a type of protein that fights infections in the human body. it is available in shot form. it is usually taken three times per week. combination therapy is when a person couples the interferon treatments with ribavirin.  Ribavirin is a drug that battles particular viruses. It comes in pill form. By itself, it doesn't work against HCV.  However, together with interferon,it combats hcv effectively. unfortunately, there is currently no vaccination for hepatitis c.  nor is there a cure.

    prevention of this disease starts on an individual basis.  each person needs to consider the consequences of their actions before they get involved in things that may be a risk for acquiring hcv. anything that involves potential blood to blood contact or bodily fluid exposure is a risk.

    those who have been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis c need to refrain from drinking alcohol at all costs.  the potential harm that it could have on one's liver could be life ending.  

 

                                     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                               

 

                                              

                                                                                              www.janis7hepc.com

                                                                                        

 

 

FAMOUS FACES and advocates

 

                                               

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler    pamela anderson        David crosby            naomi judd

 

    The faces above are a small fraction of those living with hepatitis c.  publicly disclosing that they are infected with the disease is a shot in the arm for the future fight against hcv.  Thru their efforts and the efforts of countless others the world is learning of the risks of acquiring the disease, the potential threat it poses on one's health, and the primary and secondary steps of prevention one can take to avoid being exposed to or live healthfully with the disease.                                                                      

 

 

   

 

 

 

SOURCES and more information

www.liverfoundation.org

www.cumc.columbia.edu/dept/gi/hepC.html

www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/c/plan/HCV_infection.htm

www.hepnet.com

www.bodyofwealth.com

www.hepatitis-central.com

www.virology-online.com

 www.janis7hepc.com

www.answers.com (david crosby picture)  

www.images.google.com (naomi judd picture)

www.exposay.com (steven tyler picture)

www.cbs2chicago.com (pamela anderson picture)

www.studentbmj.com (tattoo man picture)

www.healingdaily.com/.../cirrhosis-liver.jpg (liver picture)

 www.hepcvic.org