A virus causes hepatitis C. Its the HCV and is the disease is responsible for 15 percent of the acute viral hepatitis. It also accounts for between 60 to 70 percent of the population's chronic hepatitis and about half of the end stage liver disease, cirrhosis and liver cancer. An estimate of over 4.1 million Americans show that they have antibodies and have had the virus or still carry it. The virus is responsible for over 10,000 deaths every year. It has an incubation period of about two months.
Risk Factors
Since the disease spreads through infected blood or blood products, shared needles, poorly sterilized needs and transfusions with infected disease are common causes. In the 1990s, improved tests made the transfusion related hepatitis almost disappear. However, illegal drug injection is still a big factor. Occasionally hemodialysis for kidney failure, transmission from mother to fetus, exposure to open wounds, sexual transmission or an accidental stick with an infected needle cause the person to be infected. Some people may have the virus but none of the risk factors or known exposure to contaminated blood.
Early Symptoms
While many of the people with early hepatitis C have no symptoms, as many as 80 percent fight the disease off in the early stages and look and feel healthy, but it works insidiously causing liver damage. Those that have symptoms may experience flu-like symptoms, which cause muscle aches, a mild fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. They also may experience a loss of appetite.
Later Symptoms
Even though most feel they recovered from their "suspected influenza", later symptoms might appear. These included very dark, almost brown, urine and light-colored bowel movements. Sometimes there's abdominal pain and the skin and eyes yellow.
Final Symptoms
Doctors find that people with advanced hepatitis C often have an enlarged liver, muscle wasting, an enlarged spleen, abrasions on the skin, swelling of the ankles, fluid-filled abdomens, diseases or disorders affecting other parts of the body like diabetes, mental confusion and easy bruising. It might cause other complications that take the life of the patient, such as kidney disease.
Identification
Blood tests identify the antibodies in the blood produced by the immune system to the virus. It identifies over 50 percent of early cases and most chronic cases. Once they find the virus in the body, doctors may take a liver biopsy to find the extent of the damage the virus caused.
Treatment
Scientists find that the most effective treatment for hepatitis C is pegylated interferon alpha. Sometimes its more effective when combined with ribavirin, called Virazole, an antiviral drug. Based on the person's age, health and test results, the hepatologist, liver specialist, decides the most effective treatment.
Tags: effective treatment, find that, have symptoms, have virus, most effective, most effective treatment