Hepatitis c virus

bysankoh

51 followers

5 years ago

HEPATITIS C VIRUS

1. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a RNA virus.
   
2. Incubation period of average 6 - 7 weeks.
   
3. Hepatitis C maybe pathogenic factory in glomerulonephritis, autoimmune factor in glomerulonephritis, autoimmune thyroiditis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and probably lymphoma.
   
4. More than 85% of cases lead to chronic hepatitis.
   
5. HCV cause 90% of Post transfusion hepatitis, before serological tests that allowed the screening of blood donors.
   
6. Transmission of blood and blood products IV drug abuse, sexual contact ( low risk), vertical transmission from mother to child.
   
7. Cirrhosis develop in 20-30% within 5-30 years and about 15% develop hepatocellular carcinoma.
   
8. Transmission via breast feeding has not been documented.
   
9. Intravenous drug abuser's are at high risk of HCV infection.
   
10. Male patients and people requiring infection over 40 years have more rapid development of fibrosis.
    

CLINICAL FEATURES

Acute hepatitis C clinical illness is often mild and commonly asymptomatic which about 10% of patients obtain mild flu-like illness and rise in serum aminotransferases.

Some of the patients are diagnosed years later with complications of chronic liver disease.

DIAGNOSIS

Diagnosis of hepatitis C frequently by addition of negative marker for hepatitis A and B.

HVC RNA (PCR) is positive 1-2 weeks after infection Anti-HCH antibodies in serum take 6 weeks to develop.

TREATMENT

Alpha interferon for 6-24 weeks in acute hepatitis decreases the risk of chronic hepatitis.