What is Hepatitis?
Liver is the largest
organ in human body. It helps our body to remove poison from our food, store
energy and digest food. Hepatitis is a liver disease. Hepatitis could be caused
by viral infection, heavy use of alcohol, certain drugs, toxins and bacterial
infections. It is a family of viral infection that directly affects our liver.
Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C are the most common types of
hepatitis family.
There are three different
viruses which cause Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. Symptoms of each
type could be same, but they have different mode of transmission. All these
types affect the liver in different way. Hepatitis A is not a chronic disease
and it appears as a newly occurring infection. Usually Hepatitis A improves
without any treatment. Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C could become chronic
diseases and can cause a long term liver problem. Vaccines are available to
prevent Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B; but there is no vaccine to prevent
Hepatitis C.
What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is an
infectious disease which could last for few weeks to a lifelong liver problem. Hepatitis
C virus (HCV) is the cause of this disease. It spread through the blood of the
infected person.
Hepatitis C could be
short term illness which occurs within the six month of infection to Hepatitis
C virus this type is called acute Hepatitis C virus infection. Mostly this
acute hepatitis C infection leads to chronic disease.
Hepatitis could also be a
long term illness which is caused by the long time stay of Hepatitis C virus in
the body. Chronic Hepatitis C is a lifelong disease which can cause different
liver problems.
In United States almost
3.5 million people are infected with hepatitis C. Almost 85% initially infected
people fail to eliminate the disease and become chronically infected. Due to
the development in the treatment of hepatitis the cure rate is increased up to
95%.
What are the Symptoms of Hepatitis C?
Almost 80% patients with
acute hepatitis C do not have any specific symptoms. Average time for symptoms occurrence
is 2 weeks to 6 months. However symptoms do not appear in most people.
If a person is infected
with hepatitis C virus and he/she has no symptoms, he/she can still act as a
carrier of the virus and can spread it to others. Most of the people with hepatitis
C do not look week or sick.
If a person is infected
with hepatitis C virus for many years, his or her liver may be damaged because
of this infection. If liver get damaged than symptoms start appearing in the
patient.
Following could be the
symptoms of hepatitis C:
Ø Jaundice
Ø Joint
Pain
Ø Muscle
Pain
Ø Dark
Urine
Ø Vomiting
Ø Abdominal
Pain
Ø Nausea
Ø Fatigue
Ø Fever
Ø Weight
Loss
What are the Causes of Hepatitis C?
The cause of hepatitis C
infection is hepatitis C virus. It spread when blood of an infected person
enters to the blood of a healthy person. Just like HIV, hepatitis C also spread
by the blood exposure of infected person.
The most common way of getting
hepatitis C virus is from contaminated needle shared by drug addicts. Needle
stick can also spread the virus. The risk of getting infection from
contaminated needle is almost 1.8%.
Before 1992 hepatitis
screening test was not in the list for blood transfusion. Therefore blood
transfusion has also spread the virus. Since after 1992, it is necessary to
screen all blood products for hepatitis virus. Now blood transfusion can never
be a cause of hepatitis C.
A mother can pass the
hepatitis C infection to her unborn child. Almost 4% infected mothers pass this
infection to their children. Hepatitis C cannot pass from mother to child due
to breast feeding. But if breast crack and bleed during the feeding period than
infection can pass from mother to her child due to the blood exposure.
Hepatitis C can also
spread due to sexual intercourse. The risk of hepatitis C transmission is from 1%
to 4% in this case. This transmission from an infected individual to a normal
spouse can be prevented by the use of condoms.
Hepatitis C can spread by
sharing shaving razors, nail clippers, and toothbrushes. It can also spread by
poor infection control during tattooing.
Hepatitis C cannot spread
by coughing, sneezing, kissing or by sharing eatable things. It does not spread
by bug bites.
How to Treatment Hepatitis C?
Both
acute and chronic hepatitis C can be treated. It is not necessary for everyone
to get treated if they are infected by hepatitis C virus. Some people have very
strong immune system, which can fight with infection to remove it from their
body. Almost 25% of people who get infected with hepatitis C virus can clear
the infection on their own without any treatment.
The
immune system of most of the people cannot fight the infection. For those
people acute hepatitis C converts into chronic infection. There are several
medications which can treat chronic hepatitis C infection.
The
treatment of hepatitis C is developing very rapidly. The cure rate is above
95%. There are different medicines like sofosbuvir, sofosbvir and ledipasvir
combination and daclatasvir which are preferred by WHO guidelines. These
medicines are very effective and safer than the old medicines. The treatment
period is almost 12 weeks.
Access
to the treatment of hepatitis C is improving day by day, but still limited.
According to a report in 2015 almost 71 million people were living with
hepatitis C infection globally. Only 20% of those 71 million people were aware
of their infection. Just 7.4% of those people started their treatment in 2015.
In 2016 the number of additionally treated people was 1.76 million which
increases the amount of curative people to 13%. In order to achieve 80%
treatment by 2030 much is needed to be done.
How to Prevent Hepatitis C?
Prevention of hepatitis C
depends upon the exposure to the virus because there is no vaccine available
for hepatitis C. Vaccines are available for hepatitis A and hepatitis B, but
there is no vaccine available for hepatitis C.
Do not use illicit drugs.
If you are already using them stop there use immediately. If you want a tattoo on
your body do it carefully. Chose a reputed shop which use full
precautions. Make sure they are using
sterilized equipment. Try to have a safe sex. Try to avoid unprotected sex as
much as you can. Use condemns for avoiding infections if your partner is
already infected.
WHO recommended the
following preventions?
Ø Use health
care injections carefully
Ø Carefully
dispose sharps and waste
Ø Carefully
test donated blood
Ø Promotions
for the use of condoms
Ø Training
of health personnel
Ø Hand hygiene
WHO has
also provided guidelines for those who are infected with this virus:
Ø Educate
yourself about the treatment and care
Ø Vaccinate
yourself to avoid hepatitis A and B.
Ø Manage
your infection appropriately
Ø Monitor
your virus status regularly to avoid chronic liver disease
Hepatitis
C is a treatable disease. If you are diagnosed with hepatitis C virus do not
panic. Start your treatment as soon as possible. Treatment of hepatitis is not
very costly. So if you are diagnosed with this infection, do not waste your
time and start your treatment right now.
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