Hepatitis C Essay Example for Free

Hepatitis C Essay Abstract Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It is difficult for the human immune system to eliminate the virus from the body, and infection with HCV usually becomes chronic. Over decades, chronic infection with HCV damages the liver and can cause liver failure in some people. The hepatitis C virus is transmitted mainly by contact with blood or blood products. The Sharing of contaminated needles among drug users is the most common mode of transmission. In the U.S., more than three million people are chronically infected with HCV. HCV is the leading cause of liver transplantation in the U.S and is a risk factor for liver cancer. Hepatitis C Description Hepatitis C was first identified in 1974. The virus that caused disease was not found until 1989 by Brendan Arena. The infection is sometimes called transfusion hepatitis. The name comes from one possible cause of the disease. It may be transmitted along with blood used in blood transfusions. Since the identification of HCV, tests have been developed to identify the virus. Blood transfusions are no longer a major cause of the disease. Hepatitis C is a disease of the liver caused by a virus. Hepatitis in general is an inflammation of the liver, usually caused by a viral infection. The liver becomes tender and enlarged and is unable to function normally, As a result, toxins that would normally be filtered out by the liver build up in the body and   certain nutrients are not processed and stored, as they should be. Hepatitis C is a slowly progressing disorder. In its more advanced stages it can lead to serious and permanent liver damage and even death. Symptoms The symptoms of Hepatitis C are often very mild in the early stages and can be virtually undetectable. Hepatitis C infection involves an acute initial phase of infection which is usually not noticed and lasts up to six months. During this phase, levels of the virus in the blood rise dramatically until the bodys immune response starts producing antibodies. Although our antibodies fight the virus, in around 75% of cases the virus is not eliminated and approximately three out of four people are left with a chronic (long-term) infection A.   Hepatitis infection can result in liver damage because as the virus reproduces in the liver over time, more and more liver cells are changed and destroyed causing scar tissue. This is called fibrosis. In a small percentage of people experiencing cirrhosis, Fibrosis can lead to a hardening of liver tissue which affects the normal function of the liver, this is called cirrhosis In a small percentage of people experiencing cirrhosis, the condition may lead to liver failure or liver cancer. Hepatitis C affects people differently. Some are not affected by it at all, while others can be affected seriously. Generally speaking, it is believed that around three out of four people with hepatitis C will not go on to develop cirrhosis. Over a 25-50 year period of infection, it is believed that less than one in ten people with hepatitis C would develop liver failure or liver cancer. 170 million people worldwide have Hepatitis C There is no cure for hepatitis C, but medications in some cases can suppress the virus for a long period of time. Treatments Some patients with hepatitis C benefit from treatment with interferon alpha or a combination of sustained response rates and tolerability; however, pegylated interferon will likely   remain the backbone of therapy in the foreseeable future. international research teams have discovered a genetic variation that could identify those people infected with hepatitis C who are most likely to benefit from current treatments. Their genome-wide association study of people   receiving hepatitis C treatment revealed that genetic variants near the interferon gene IL28B were associated with peoples response to treatment. Three per cent of the worlds people are infected with hepatitis C and few are able to clear the virus without treatment. The standard treatment is a combination of pegylated interferon-alpha and ribavirin (PEG-IFN-alpha/RBV). Conclusion Hepatitis C is a virus that causes acute and chronic hepatitis. Over 80% of persons who acquire hepatitis C develop chronic hepatitis. Persons who are chronically infected with hepatitis C are at an increased risk for the development of cirrhosis and liver cancer. No effective vaccine has been developed to prevent hepatitis C. Only one antiviral medication has been shown to be effective in the treatment of hepatitis C. Pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin combination is licensed for the treatment of hepatitis C, but only about 30% to 50% of persons treated recover completely from this infection. References http://www.emedicinehealth.com/hepatitis c article/ em-htm /08/2009 http://www.Faqs.org health/sick-v2 hepatitis c-descriptions html. Copy right 2009 Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Sep 24,2009 Science daily.com/hepatitis treatment Nancy J. Nordeson The Gale Group 2002 http://www.gale encyclopedia of medicine.com http://www.medicalnews.com/ 08/2009/ articles hepatitis c http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/aip/research/hepatitis