Dr Malik Amir Ali Khan Yousafzaiabout 7 years ago

Read in another language Hepatitis C Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that primarily affects the liver.[2] During the initial infection people often have mild or no symptoms.[1] Occasionally a fever, dark urine, abdominal pain, and yellow tinged skin occurs.[1] The virus persists in the liver in about 75% to 85% of those initially infected.[1] Early on chronic infection typically has no symptoms.[1] Over many years however, it often leads to liver disease and occasionally cirrhosis.[1] In some cases, those with cirrhosis will develop complications such as liver failure, liver cancer, or dilated blood vessels in the esophagus and stomach.[2] Hepatitis C Electron micrograph of hepatitis C virus from cell culture (scale = 50 nanometers) Specialty Gastroenterology, Infectious disease Symptoms Typically none[1] Complications Liver failure, liver cancer, esophageal and gastric varices[2] Duration Long term (80%)[1] Causes Hepatitis C virus usually spread by blood-to-blood contact[1][3] Diagnostic method Blood testing for antibodies or viral RNA[1] Prevention Clean needles, testing donated blood[4] Treatment Medications, liver transplant[5] Medication Sofosbuvir, simeprevir[1][4] Frequency 143 million / 2% (2015)[6] Deaths 496,000 (2015)[7] HCV is spread primarily by blood-to-blood contact associated with intravenous drug use, poorly sterilized medical equipment, needlestick injuries in healthcare, and transfusions.[1][3] Using blood screening, the risk from a transfusion is less than one per two million.[1] It may also be spread from an infected mother to her baby during birth.[1] It is not spread by superficial contact.[4] It is one of five known hepatitis viruses: A, B, C, D, and E.[8] Diagnosis is by blood testing to look for either antibodies to the virus or its RNA.[1] Testing is recommended in all people who are at risk.[1] There is no vaccine against hepatitis C.[1][9] Prevention includes harm reduction efforts among people who use intravenous drugs and testing donated blood.[4] Chronic infection can be cured about 95% of the time with antiviral medications such as sofosbuvir or simeprevir.[1][4] Peginterferon and ribavirin were earlier generation treatments which had a cure rate of less than 50% and greater side effects.[4][10] Getting access to the newer treatments however can be expensive.[4] Those who develop cirrhosis or liver cancer may require a liver transplant.[5] Hepatitis C is the leading reason for liver transplantation, though the virus usually recurs after transplantation.[5] An estimated 143 million people (2%) worldwide are infected with hepatitis C as of 2015.[6] In 2013 about 11 million new cases occurred.[11] It occurs most commonly in Africa and Central and East Asia.[4] About 167,000 deaths due to liver cancer and 326,000 deaths due to cirrhosis occurred in 2015 due to hepatitis C.[7] The existence of hepatitis C – originally identifiable only as a type of non-A non-B hepatitis – was suggested in the 1970s and proven in 1989.[12] Hepatitis C infects only humans and chimpanzees.[13] Signs and symptoms Acute infection Hepatitis C infection causes acute symptoms in 15% of cases.[14] Symptoms are generally mild and vague, including a decreased appetite, fatigue, nausea, muscle or joint pains, and weight loss[15] and rarely does acute liver failure result.[16] Most cases of acute infection are not associated with jaundice.[17] The infection resolves spontaneously in 10–50% of cases, which occurs more frequently in individuals who are young and female.[17] Chronic infection About 80% of those exposed to the virus develop a chronic infection.[18] This is defined as the presence of detectable viral replication for at least six months. Most experience minimal or no symptoms during the initial few decades of the infection.[19] Chronic hepatitis C can be associated with fatigue[20] and mild cognitive problems.[21] Chronic infection after several years may cause