Hepatitius C disease management

Hepatitus C symptoms

Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). If the infection has been present for many years, the liver may be permanently scarred, a condition called cirrhosis. For some, there may be no symptoms of the disease until cirrhosis develops.

• Pain the right upper abdomen
• Ascites or fluid in the abdomen
• Bleeding veins in the esophagus
• Dark urine
• Fatigue
• Itching
• Jaundice or yellowed skin
• Loss of appetite
• Low-grade fever
• Nausea
• Pale or clay-colored stools
• Vomiting

Hepatitus C causes

Hepatitis C can be a risk for those who:

• Have had long-term kidney dialysis.

• Have unprotected sexual contact with a person who has hepatitis C (less common, but increases for those who have multiple sex partners, have a sexually transmitted disease, or are infected with HIV).
• Inject street drugs or share a needle with someone who has hepatitis C.
• Received a blood transfusion before July 1992.
• Received a tattoo or acupuncture with contaminated instruments.
• Received blood, blood products, or solid organs from a donor who has hepatitis C.
• Share personal items such as toothbrushes and razors with someone who has hepatitis C (less common).
• Were born to a hepatitis C-infected mother (less common than with hepatitis B)

Hepatitius C treatment

Hepatitis C has an acute and chronic form. For those infected with chronic Hepatitis C, there are medications that decrease the treatment time and side effects and increase the cure rate.

• Simeprevir is a protein inhibitor used in combination with other hepatitis C medications to block a specific protein needed by the hepatitis C virus to reproduce in the human body.
• Sofosbuvir is a once-daily oral tablet used in combination with other hepatitis C medications to decrease the length of treatment time and side effects and increases the cure rate.