Causes Of Hepatitis C

This research paper is going to review today’s silent killer, the Hepatitis C virus. This paper will talk about the description of the disease, the signs and symptoms, the etiology and risk factors, diagnostic studies, treatments and prognosis of this disease. I had lived with this disease for over ten years before diagnosed so it is important to understand the signs and symptoms so the disease can be identified and a treatment plan can be identified as the sooner it is treated the more likely it will eradicate the disease.

Initial curative treatment in the early 1990’s used interferon and the antiviral ribavirin with a cure rate of 50% (Watson, n.d., p. 1). 2011 saw the invention of two antiviral medications, telaprivir and boceprevir, that increased cure rates to 70%. In 2013 newer drugs, simeprevir and sofosbuvir, were introduced with the later creating 90% cure rates in patients (Watson, n.d., p.gs. 1-2). Simeprevir (Sovaldi) was created for administration once per day over a minimum of a year (Gilead, 2014). Eradication of the disease in patients is effective in patients co-infected with HIV with low rates of side effects (Sulkowski, et al., 2014), highlighting its efficacy in complex patient populations. The cost of such treatment is $1,000 per day with an average cost for curative course exceeding $94,000 (Venteicher, 2014). The medication is FDA approved and prescribed readily, but patients are not receiving access to the medication through their insurers.

Hepatitis C affects millions worldwide. Hepatitis C causes infection leading to chronic liver disease. Human hepatocyte chimeric mice were made by transplantation of the human hepatocyte to mice. Reverse genetic hepatitis C viruses of two different genotypes were made from infectious clones and human hepatocyte chimeric mice. Chimeric mice were injected with both genotypes of hepatitis C. There after treatment by interferon was administered. A control of human serum from a donor with chronic hepatitis C was used. The results obtained showed that mice injected with both genotypes of hepatitis C virus had a quantifiable level of virus present in the blood. It was observed that genotype 1 did not response to interferon therapy as compared to genotype 2. Results showed a decreased level of genotype 2 of hepatitis C virus after

Ward, J. W., Valdiserri, R. O., & Koh, H. K. (2012). Hepatitus C Virus Prevention, Care, and Treatment:

Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver caused by the virus called Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Hepatitis C can be acute and chronic, it is an asymptomatic disease, but a chronic infection can be life threatening and cause serious health complications in the future and eventually death. Many are unaware of this infection; the life threatening health risk involves liver damage, end- stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma and even death. It 's been estimated that in the United States 2.7 million people are infected with chronic HCV, whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 3.2 million (Ditah, 2010). The infected population are primarily in their fifties and sixties, born between 1945 and 1965. One attributable cause is believed to be the transmission of the contaminated blood through organ transplants and drug injections. It is expected that compensated cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) will increase by over 80 percent from the year 2000 to the year 2020. Over the same period, it is estimated that decompensated cirrhosis would increase over 100 percent and that liver-related deaths would increase by 181 percent (Davis GL, Albright JE, 2003).

Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. It was discovered about twenty-eight years ago. The liver is very essential to life because it has many important functions in our bodies. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus. Hepatitis C is not a virus that you can visibly see unless you run a blood test and discover it in the blood. Hepatitis C is contagious but it is treatable and is considered cured if the virus is no longer detectable in your blood. Considering that some of the Hepatitis C symptoms are similar to other viral symptoms, the doctor has to diagnose the patient to officially confirm the virus. Hepatitis C is easily spread and is most common in teenagers and adults. The most common ways to spread Hepatitis C is

In the 1960’s and 70’s the virus was actually identified after years of research. Scientists were able to discover the Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B virus through numerous blood tests. They also noticed there were patients that tested positive for a virus that was not Hepatitis A or B. This unknown virus was named non-A, non- B hepatitis. In the 1980’s, The Center for Disease Control was able to identify the virus where it was given the name Hepatitis C (“Hepatitis C FAQ”). In 1990, blood banks started testing for the virus by screening blood before it was transfused. By screening the blood, this reduced the risk of contraction by .01% (“Hepatitis C History”). There are two types of Hepatitis C known as Acute Hepatitis C and Chronic Hepatitis C. Acute hepatitis C is a short-term infection in which symptoms can last up to 6 months. Those with Acute Hepatitis C endure the short term effects of the infection because the body is able to fight off the infection and get rid of the virus. In most cases, the infection is asymptomatic but can lead to a more serious infection which can lead to scarring of the liver causing cirrhosis. This form of HCV is known as Chronic Hepatitis C in which the infection causes cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis can take many years, but it can lead to other health concerns such as liver failure, liver cancer, and other life threatening issues. Patients that contract cirrhosis of the

These drugs may cure hepatitis C in more than 95 percent of patients. There was a recent study in where 10 patients who had recently received hepatitis-c infected livers and took the new drugs before and after the transplant. After a twelve week period of drug treatment ended the results showed that none of the patients had any signs of a hepatitis-c infection. Even more impressively five of the patients observed bodies had created antibodies to the disease. Which means the drugs may not stopped early infections, but still managed to prevent a chronic infection from occurring. The only drawback for this study may be that since it was a small number of subjects, the data could be skewed and it’s possible on a larger scale the percentage of those who will be cured of the disease may be much lower than the current 100% the results showed.(Durand, March

Hepatitis C is a disease which occurs in the liver that might occur only for a short time or it could be there as long as your lifetime. It usually comes from the Hepatitis C Virus, which occurs due to having a contact with an infected person’s blood.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of liver disease and is the number-one bloodborne virus in the United States. HCV is a virus identified in 1989 that often results in chronic infection of the blood. This infection harms the human liver, resulting in low-grade inflammation and progressive fibrosis of the liver, cirrhosis, liver cancer and death (CDC, 2011; Pears, 2010). Approximately 1.3-1.9 percent of the population of the United States has been infected or is infected with HCV. HCV

Hepatitis C is a virus that is known to cause liver cancer. It cause inflammation in the liver and cause it to swell. When the liver is swollen it becomes sensitive and it causes your liver to not function properly. When time passes it eventually causes the liver to fail thats why when your liver is inflamed it is suggested

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (2011) asserts, “Hepatitis C is curable in more than 50 percent of patients.” Management and treatment can include medications, lifestyle changes and possible organ transplant. Pegylated interferon injections weekly and ribavirin daily therapy are the most common medication used in the treatment of HCV. The interferon boosts the immune system to attack liver cells infected with the hepatitis C virus and inhibit the virus’ replication within the cell. The ribavirin is a broad-spectrum of antiviral activity and inhibits replication and infectivity of the virus. Lifestyle changes can include abstaining from the use of alcohol, as it is a proven factor, which can be damaging to the liver. Those that engaging in high-risk behaviors such as needle sharing, unprotected non-monogamous sexual relations and un-sterile environments for tattooing or body piercing, should educate themselves on safer practices. Oregon State Health Department (2011), recommends checking with the treating provider when using over the counter medications and supplements, to ensure that they do not interfere with treatment or liver function and possibly do further damage to the liver.

It can also spread while using non-sterile instruments during body piercing or when getting tattoos in informal settings. Outbreaks can also results in residential care and healthcare facilities due to poor or uncommon infection control. And in most cases many people don’t know when and how they got infected.

Hepatitis C has been referred to as a "Silent Epidemic," since it usually progresses slowly over many years. Most people who are infected with hepatitis C are not aware of any noticeable symptoms for as long as one to two decades after they are infected. In fact, by the time symptoms appear, the virus has probably already begun to damage the liver. If the liver is injured and stops functioning, death will always be the outcome (Lieber). Liver failure from chronic hepatitis C is one of the most common causes of liver transplants in the United States.

The term Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis C (HCV) is a liver disease that is contagious and ranges in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness that attacks the liver. When people are initially infected, they experience no either mild symptoms or no symptoms at all