PD - HEPATITIS C VIRUS REPORT
INTRODUCTION
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne, highly-infectious, viral disease that is caused by a hepatotropic virus called Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). It is in the "acute" phase for the first six months, after which it is referred to as Chronic HCV. It should also be noted that although this infection can be spread through unsafe sex practices, this is not the only, or indeed the main, way in which it is transferred.
CAUSES
The hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. An estimated 150-200 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C. In general, those with a history of intravenous drug use, nasally inhaled drug usage, tattoos, or who have been exposed to blood via unsafe sex or social practices are at increased risk from this disease. The most common way for the virus to spread is through blood transfusions using unscreened blood. Coming in close second is using unsterilized medical or hygienic equipment. Also, it is a common misconception that Hepatitis C can be transferred through sharing food or cooking utensils, or indeed by any form of saliva only contact.
SYMPTOMS
During the first 6 months of HCV (or the "acute" phase), people with the infection often experience mild symptoms, such as; decreased appetite, fatigue, abdominal pain, itching and flu-like symptoms. These are nonspecific and will not result in a sure HCV diagnosis, so they often do not even seek medical treatment. The HCV virus is usually detectable in the patient's blood within three weeks after the initial infection, and the antibodies become detectable after three to twelve weeks. The infection can cause liver inflammation (hepatitis) that is often not serious, but will cause a 70% chance of chronic hepatitis (which may be passed to children) that can later result in cirrhosis (fibrotic scarring of the liver) and liver cancer.
The liver is the organ that is primarily affected by this infection, 60% of Chronic HCV patients will experience sever liver degradation within 20-30 years of the infection. In fact, Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplant in the United States. Some of the likely symptoms of Chronic HCV are; fatigue, marked weight loss, flu-like symptoms, muscle pain, joint pain, intermittent low-grade fevers, itching, sleep disturbances, abdominal pain (especially in the right upper quadrant), appetite changes, nausea, diarrhea, dyspepsia, cognitive changes, depression, headaches, and mood swings.
CONSEQUENCES
The consequences of HCV depend greatly on whether or not you have acute or chronic Hepatitis C Virus. If you have an acute infection, there is a chance you will get chronic HCV. However, even if you do not, for the six months when your body if fighting off the disease, you will need to make sure not to participate in ANY sort of activity where blood could be, accidentally or otherwise, spread. This does include through sexual activity, however a very low percentage of people catch the disease via this kind of contact.
The consequences of Chronic HCV are substantially worse. Not only can you NOT participate in ANY sort of blood sharing activity until cured, but you have the responsibility to undergo a long course of anti-viral medicines to clear your body of the infection. Unless this disease is coupled with HIV or another immune-system draining virus, it will not be fatal in most cases. Although, it could (in less than 5% of patients) degrade the liver to the point of shutdown, which would cause death unless a transplant liver could be found.
TREATMENT / PREVENTION
20%-30% of people who contract this virus will clear the virus from their bodies naturally during the acute phase, and therefore will not require extended medical treatment. However, treatment during the acute phase of the infection, at least with genotype 1, increases the odds of naturally curing the infection from 20%-30% to over 90%. This is, however, not as true with other genome types, but treatment still increases the odds.
If untreated, the remaining 70%-80% of people will develop Chronic Hepatitis C, the symptoms of which can be medically managed, and a sizeable proportion of patients can be cleared of the virus by a long course of anti-viral medicines. i.e. This disease can often be cured, and the chronic variant can be prevented in most cases.
CONCLUTION
Hepatitis C Virus is obviously not as bad as some of the other STIs in the world, as in most cases it doesn't result in death. As long as proper preventative and medical measures are taken when a patient realizes that they have HCV, this virus should stop spreading altogether.
SITE USED
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatitis_C
By; Simon & David