What is Hepatitis C?
Today, it is an estimated that, there are 50 million people have chronic hepatitis C virus infection as per WHO report. Hepatitis C is an inflammation like Hepatitis B. It is a liver inflammation caused by the hepatitis C virus. The virus can cause both Acute and Chronic infection. In case of chronic condition, the patient required lifelong treatment and patient may suffer from the illness including liver cirrhosis and cancer in the long run.
Hepatitis C is also a contagious disease and it is a bloodborne virus and most infection occur through exposure to blood from:
- Unsafe injection practices
- Unsafe health care,
- Unscreened blood transfusions, and
- Unprotected sex
Hepatitis C is mainly spread through contact with infected blood and body fluids. It may happen through sharing used needles or syringes, or from unsafe medical procedures such as blood transfusions with unscreened blood products.
Acute Hepatitis C (HCV) Infections
Acute HCV infections are usually asymptomatic and mostly not required any treatment. After some weeks it is disappeared as it’s own. Around 30% of infected persons spontaneously clear the virus within 6 months of infection without any treatment.
Chronic Hepatitis C Infection
A chronic infection leads to a life-threatening disease, you need a lifelong treatment. In that case your doctor will say to do these following medical tests to monitor the liver condition in every six months:
- 1) ALT/AST Enzyme Test
- 2) HCV RNA Test
- 3) Liver Fibroscan/ Whole Abdomen Ultrasound
Complications are Seen in Hepatitis C Patients?
- Acute liver failure, Fibrosis, Fatty liver,
- Liver Cirrhosis,
- Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC),
- Liver Cancer,
- Auto Immune Hepatitis
In this case, patient can survive after the liver transplant or death. There is no alternative solution to cure from these complications.
Early Symptoms of Hepatitis C Infection
Hepatitis C is a RNA virus. There are some strong anti-viral medications available market to get rid of the virus. The early symptoms of Hepatitis C infection may include the following:
- Pain in the Upper Abdomen in left or right side.
- Very dark pale yellow coloured urine.
- Mild fiver stays continuously in the body, not feeling free and easy.
- Not interested to eat or drink, loss of appetite.
- Sometimes stomach upset and vomiting without any reason.
- Feeling fatigue, weakness and extreme tiredness remain whole day.
- Skin and eyes color turned to yellow suddenly, which is the symptoms of Jaundice.
Treatment of Hepatitis C
Today Hepatitis chronic infection can be treated and many people also treated 100% successfully. If you have chronic Hepatitis C infection, your doctor may prescribe any of the following Direct Acting Antiviral called DAA medicines with the following:
- Sofosbuvir or Sovaldi
- Daclatasvir or Daklinza
- Elbasvir-grazoprevir or Zepatier
- Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir or Epclusa
- Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir or Vosevi
- Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir or Mavyret
- Ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir/dasabuvir or Viekira Pak
- Simeprevir or Olysio
- Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir or Harvoni
- Ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir or Technivie
Note: Your doctor will suggest you, which combination of these medications will be applicable for your treatment as per Genotype. Then it will be effective on the infection successfully otherwise not. It is also seen most of the patients are suffering from Kidney infection or Kidney failure in the long run. So, Hepatitis C patients are required to touch with their doctor till the infection is not gone from the body.
