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Hepatitis C: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment
Hepatitis C and its Causes
Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver caused by the Hepatitis C virus. It is often transmitted through contaminated blood products and unprotected sexual contact. Most reported cases come about through the sharing of needles by intravenous drug users, accidental infection of healthcare workers through needles, unprotected sex with multiple partners and contaminated blood transfusions. The risk contracting through infected blood in a transfusion has dropped sharply with the institution of routine screening tests for Hepatitis C in donated blood.
Symptoms of Hepatitis C Virus
The Hepatitis C virus affects people in various ways. Some people become tremendously ill and suffer serious liver damages, such as cirrhosis and liver failure. Others may carry the virus but never get sick from the disease, even though they retain some liver damage. Many patients with this virus have no symptoms.
The symptoms of a “third stage”, or acute, Hepatitis C infection might include general weakness, poor appetite, discolored or dark urine, light-colored stools and jaundice (yellowing of the skin, body fluids and whites of the eyes). Jaundice results when liver chemicals (bilirubin) build up in the blood.
Chronic Hepatitis C may develop if the immune system does not clear the Hepatitis C virus from the blood and the condition is allowed to progress. Over half the cases of people infected with Hepatitis C progress into chronic Hepatitis C. At this stage, most patients begin a gradual process of liver damage that may lead to other serious conditions such as cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer. A chronic Hepatitis C infection may last for years. After twenty years, about 20% of sufferers develop cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and a smaller number develop some form of liver cancer.
Diagnosis of Hepatitis C
To diagnose Hepatitis C, a physician will conduct a physical examination and do blood tests to check for the presence of antibodies against the Hepatitis C virus. To determine the damage to liver cells, the doctor will test for the presence of alanine amino-transferals (ALT). Conflicting or inconclusive result may make a liver biopsy necessary.
Although blood screening methods have drastically improved, many cases are still reported as a result of contaminated drug injection equipment, contaminated hem dialysis, tattooing, body piercing, unprotected sex and shared instruments for inhaling cocaine or injecting IV drugs.
Ways to prevent transmission of the Hepatitis C virus
1. Avoiding the use or sharing of intravenous and intranasal drug paraphernalia.
2. Ensuring needles are sterlized when getting a tattoo.
3. Protective gears should be worn by health care workers when dealing with blood and open wounds.
4. Avoid unprotected sex, particularly with multiple partners and the use of condoms during all sexual activity.
The present treatment for HCV consists of a one-year course of the drugs Interferon and Ribavirin, which can clear up the virus in almost half of patients. If cirrhosis is present, alternative treatments will be necessary. Interferon is not recommended for those with a history of depression, alcohol dependency, illegal drug use or auto-immune disease. Vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B should also be given to all those
who test positive for Hepatitis C.
Certain high risk groups should be tested whether exposure is suspected or not. This high risk group includes:
1. People receiving long-term dialysis
2. Spouses of those infected with Hepatitis C
3. Those living in the same house hold with someone who is infected with Hepatitis C
4. People with a history of multiple sexual partners
5. IV drug users or those who use illegal drugs or sniff cocaine.
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Information Packet
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