Wirusowe zapalenie wątroby typu c – Etiologia i przyczyny

Wirusowe zapalenie wątroby typu c
Etiologia i przyczyny

Wirusowe zapalenie wątroby typu C (WZW C) jest chorobą zakaźną wywoływaną przez wirusa HCV, charakteryzującą się wysoką zmiennością genetyczną (7 genotypów, ponad 67 podtypów) i głównie przenoszoną przez kontakt z zakażoną krwią, zwłaszcza przez niesterylny sprzęt dożylny. Około 75-85% zakażeń przechodzi w postać przewlekłą, prowadzącą do przewlekłego zapalenia wątroby, włóknienia, marskości (po 20-30 latach u 20-30% pacjentów) oraz raka wątrobowokomórkowego (HCC). Czynniki wpływające na progresję choroby to m.in. genotyp 3, współistniejące zakażenia HIV/HBV, spożywanie alkoholu, insulinooporność i otyłość. Diagnostyka opiera się na wykrywaniu RNA wirusa we krwi i ocenie stopnia włóknienia wątroby, a przebieg kliniczny może być bezobjawowy lub manifestować się niespecyficznymi objawami, z ryzykiem powikłań pozawątrobowych, takich jak glomerulopatie, choroby autoimmunologiczne czy chłoniaki.

Etiologia wirusowego zapalenia wątroby typu C

Wirusowe zapalenie wątroby typu C (WZW C) jest chorobą zakaźną wywoływaną przez wirus zapalenia wątroby typu C (HCV – Hepatitis C Virus). Zakażenie prowadzi do stanu zapalnego wątroby i może występować w postaci ostrej lub przewlekłej, przy czym u większości pacjentów (około 75-85%) rozwijają się zakażenia przewlekłe, które mogą prowadzić do poważnych powikłań w postaci marskości wątroby i raka wątrobowokomórkowego¹².

Charakterystyka wirusa HCV

HCV jest wirusem RNA należącym do rodziny Flaviviridae, rodzaju Flavivirus. Jest to sferyczny, osłonkowy wirus zawierający jednoniciowy RNA o dodatniej polarności¹². Genom wirusa ma długość około 9,6 kb i koduje strukturalne białka osłonkowe (E1 i E2) oraz białko rdzeniowe¹.

Na świecie występuje co najmniej siedem głównych genotypów HCV (oznaczanych od 1 do 7) oraz ponad 67 podtypów¹². W Stanach Zjednoczonych i wielu innych krajach najczęściej występuje genotyp 1, stanowiący około 75% przypadków¹². Genotyp wirusa ma znaczenie przy doborze odpowiedniego leczenia, choć nowsze leki przeciwwirusowe mogą skutecznie leczyć wiele genotypów¹.

Naturalnymi komórkami docelowymi dla HCV są hepatocyty oraz prawdopodobnie limfocyty B¹. Po dostaniu się wirusa do organizmu, replikuje się on w wątrobie, powodując zapalenie i uszkodzenie komórek wątrobowych¹.

Drogi zakażenia HCV

HCV przenosi się głównie przez kontakt z zakażoną krwią. Wirus przedostaje się do krwiobiegu osoby niezakażonej, gdy jej krew wejdzie w kontakt z krwią osoby zakażonej¹². Nawet niewielka ilość krwi, niewidoczna gołym okiem, może zawierać setki cząstek wirusa, a wirus nie jest łatwy do unieszkodliwienia¹.

Główne drogi zakażenia HCV obejmują:

Stosowanie niesterylnych igieł i strzykawek podczas przyjmowania narkotyków drogą dożylną – obecnie jest to najczęstsza droga zakażenia w krajach rozwiniętych¹²
Transfuzje krwi lub produktów krwiopochodnych przed 1992 rokiem, kiedy to wprowadzono skuteczne badania przesiewowe krwi¹²
Zabiegi medyczne z użyciem niesterylnego sprzętu, zwłaszcza w krajach o niskim standardzie opieki zdrowotnej¹²
Przypadkowe ukłucia igłą w placówkach opieki zdrowotnej¹²
Wykonywanie tatuaży lub piercingu z użyciem niesterylnego sprzętu¹²
Dzielenie się przedmiotami osobistymi, które mogą być zanieczyszczone krwią, takimi jak maszynki do golenia, szczoteczki do zębów czy cążki do paznokci¹²
Transmisja z matki na dziecko podczas ciąży lub porodu (ryzyko wynosi około 5%)¹²
Kontakty seksualne bez zabezpieczenia, choć ryzyko jest niskie i zwiększa się w przypadku osób z wieloma partnerami seksualnymi lub u mężczyzn mających kontakty seksualne z mężczyznami¹²

Około 90% przypadków zakażeń HCV w Wielkiej Brytanii występuje u osób, które obecnie przyjmują lub w przeszłości przyjmowały narkotyki drogą dożylną¹. W przypadku niektórych pacjentów nie można ustalić źródła zakażenia¹.

Patogeneza zakażenia HCV

Zakażenie HCV prowadzi do stanu zapalnego wątroby poprzez dwa główne mechanizmy¹:

Uszkodzenie cytopatyczne – bezpośrednie uszkodzenie lub zniszczenie zakażonych komórek przez wirusa
Uszkodzenie immunopatyczne – szkody spowodowane przez odpowiedź immunologiczną organizmu na zakażenie

Przewlekłe zakażenie HCV wynika z osłabionej odpowiedzi limfocytów T CD4+ i CD8+, które nie są w stanie skutecznie kontrolować replikacji wirusa¹. Wirusowe RNA można wykryć we krwi (w tym w surowicy i osoczu), ślinie, łzach, płynie nasiennym, płynie otrzewnowym i płynie mózgowo-rdzeniowym zakażonych osób¹.

Wirus HCV charakteryzuje się szybkim tempem namnażania i wysoką zmiennością genetyczną. Podobnie jak HIV, HCV mnoży się bardzo szybko i osiąga bardzo wysokie poziomy w organizmie. Geny kodujące białka powierzchniowe wirusa ulegają szybkim mutacjom, co prowadzi do powstawania tysięcy odmian genetycznych (tzw. „quasi-gatunków”) każdego dnia¹. Ta zmienność genetyczna utrudnia rozpoznanie wirusa przez układ odpornościowy i stanowi wyzwanie w opracowaniu skutecznej szczepionki¹.

Czynniki przyspieszające progresję choroby

Istnieje wiele czynników, które mogą przyspieszać postęp włóknienia wątroby i rozwój marskości u pacjentów z zakażeniem HCV¹:

Spożywanie alkoholu¹²
Współistniejące zakażenia HIV/HBV¹
Zakażenie genotypem 3 HCV¹²
Insulinooporność i otyłość¹
Niealkoholowa stłuszczeniowa choroba wątroby¹

Stopień włóknienia wątroby ściśle koreluje ze zwiększonym ryzykiem rozwoju raka wątrobowokomórkowego poprzez ułatwianie aberracji genetycznych i promowanie klonów nowotworowych¹. Postęp choroby jest częstszy u osób intensywnie spożywających alkohol, pacjentów z marskością wątroby oraz u osób z współistniejącym zakażeniem HBV¹.

Epidemiologia WZW C

Wirusowe zapalenie wątroby typu C stanowi istotny problem zdrowia publicznego na całym świecie. Według Światowej Organizacji Zdrowia (WHO), około 58 milionów osób na świecie cierpi na przewlekłe zakażenie HCV, a każdego roku dochodzi do około 1,5 miliona nowych zakażeń¹. W Stanach Zjednoczonych zakażenie HCV odpowiada za około 20% wszystkich przypadków ostrego zapalenia wątroby, szacunkowo 30 000 nowych ostrych zakażeń oraz 8 000-10 000 zgonów rocznie¹.

Częstość występowania zakażeń HCV różni się w zależności od regionu świata¹. Ogólna częstość występowania przeciwciał anty-HCV w populacji Stanów Zjednoczonych wynosi 1,8%¹.

W ciągu ostatniej dekady w Stanach Zjednoczonych zaobserwowano ponad dwukrotny wzrost rocznej częstości występowania ostrych zakażeń HCV, co przypisuje się epidemii opioidowej i związanemu z nią wzrostowi liczby osób przyjmujących narkotyki drogą dożylną¹.

Grupy ryzyka

Osoby należące do następujących grup są szczególnie narażone na zakażenie HCV¹²:

Osoby przyjmujące lub przyjmujące w przeszłości narkotyki drogą dożylną
Osoby, które otrzymały transfuzję krwi lub przeszczep narządu przed 1992 rokiem
Pacjenci z hemofilią, którzy otrzymali czynniki krzepnięcia przed 1987 rokiem
Pacjenci poddawani dializom
Pracownicy ochrony zdrowia narażeni na kontakt z zakażoną krwią lub zakłucia igłą
Osoby z tatuażami lub piercingiem wykonanym niesterylnym sprzętem
Osoby zakażone HIV
Dzieci urodzone przez matki zakażone HCV
Osoby przebywające lub pracujące w zakładach karnych
Osoby z wieloma partnerami seksualnymi
Osoby urodzone między 1945 a 1965 rokiem (pokolenie baby boomers) – w tej grupie występuje wyższa częstość zakażeń HCV¹²

Przebieg naturalny zakażenia HCV

Zakażenie HCV może prowadzić zarówno do ostrego, jak i przewlekłego zapalenia wątroby¹.

Ostre zakażenie HCV

Ostre zapalenie wątroby typu C to krótkotrwała choroba, która rozwija się w ciągu pierwszych 6 miesięcy po zakażeniu wirusem HCV¹. Większość pacjentów (do 80%) z ostrym zakażeniem HCV nie ma objawów lub występują u nich łagodne objawy grypopodobne, które często są ignorowane¹².

Ostra infekcja HCV spontanicznie ustępuje u około 20-50% pacjentów, zazwyczaj w ciągu 6 miesięcy od szacowanego czasu zakażenia (mediana 16,5 tygodnia)¹. Czynniki predykcyjne samoistnego ustąpienia zakażenia obejmują: żółtaczkę, podwyższony poziom ALT, obecność antygenu powierzchniowego wirusa zapalenia wątroby typu B (HBsAg), płeć żeńską, młodszy wiek, zakażenie genotypem 1 oraz polimorfizmy genetyczne gospodarza, zwłaszcza te w pobliżu genu IL28B¹.

Przewlekłe zakażenie HCV

U większości pacjentów (75-85%) ostre zakażenie HCV przechodzi w zakażenie przewlekłe¹². Przewlekłe zakażenie HCV definiuje się jako obecność wirusa HCV w organizmie przez co najmniej 6 miesięcy.

Przewlekłe zakażenie HCV początkowo może przebiegać bezobjawowo lub powodować niespecyficzne objawy, takie jak zmęczenie czy dolegliwości brzuszne. Z biegiem czasu, u około 60-70% pacjentów z przewlekłym WZW C rozwija się przewlekła choroba wątroby¹. U 20-30% pacjentów z przewlekłym zakażeniem HCV po 20-30 latach rozwija się marskość wątroby¹².

Przewlekłe zakażenie HCV może prowadzić do następujących powikłań¹²:

Przewlekła choroba wątroby
Postępujące włóknienie wątroby
Marskość wątroby
Niewydolność wątroby
Rak wątrobowokomórkowy (HCC)
Konieczność przeszczepu wątroby

Przewlekłe zakażenie HCV jest wiodącą przyczyną przeszczepów wątroby w Stanach Zjednoczonych, odpowiadając za 40-45% tych zabiegów¹. Co istotne, HCV zwykle nawraca po przeszczepieniu i zakaża nową wątrobę¹.

Pozawątrobowe manifestacje zakażenia HCV

HCV jest odpowiedzialny nie tylko za uszkodzenie wątroby, ale może również powodować objawy pozawątrobowe, co doprowadziło do określenia infekcji jako „choroby HCV”, czyli schorzenia ogólnoustrojowego, a nie wyłącznie wątrobowego¹. Manifestacje pozawątrobowe obejmują¹²:

Choroby skórne, takie jak liszaj płaski i porfiria skórna późna
Zaburzenia czynności tarczycy, w tym autoimmunologiczne zapalenie tarczycy i rak tarczycy
Glomerulopatie, w tym kłębuszkowe zapalenie nerek
Zwiększone ryzyko cukrzycy i chorób sercowo-naczyniowych
Zaburzenia hematologiczne
Zwiększone ryzyko chłoniaka nieziarniczego i nowotworów głowy i szyi

Czynniki modulujące przebieg zakażenia HCV

Przebieg zakażenia HCV może być modyfikowany przez różne czynniki, które wpływają na progresję choroby i rozwój powikłań¹.

Czynniki wirusowe

Do czynników wirusowych wpływających na przebieg zakażenia HCV należą¹²:

Genotyp wirusa – genotyp 3 jest związany z szybszą progresją choroby wątroby
Poziom wiremii – osoby z niewykrywalnym poziomem wirusa mają zmniejszone ryzyko rozwoju marskości wątroby i zgonu
Współistnienie zakażenia innymi wirusami (np. HIV, HBV)

Czynniki związane z gospodarzem

Czynniki związane z gospodarzem wpływające na przebieg zakażenia obejmują¹²:

Wiek w momencie zakażenia – starszy wiek wiąże się z szybszą progresją choroby
Płeć – mężczyźni mają tendencję do szybszej progresji choroby niż kobiety
Polimorfizmy genetyczne, szczególnie w regionie genu IL28B
Odpowiedź immunologiczna organizmu

Czynniki środowiskowe

Do czynników środowiskowych modyfikujących przebieg zakażenia HCV należą¹²:

Spożywanie alkoholu – przyspiesza progresję włóknienia i rozwój marskości wątroby
Nadmierna masa ciała i otyłość
Insulinooporność i cukrzyca
Stłuszczenie wątroby
Ekspozycja na hepatotoksyny

Do 20% pacjentów z chorobą wątroby związaną z alkoholem jest jednocześnie zakażonych HCV. Przyczyny tej wysokiej korelacji nie są w pełni wyjaśnione, ponieważ jednoczesne spożywanie alkoholu i używanie narkotyków wyjaśnia tylko część przypadków¹.

Mechanizmy uszkodzenia wątroby w przebiegu zakażenia HCV

Zakażenie HCV prowadzi do uszkodzenia wątroby poprzez złożone mechanizmy, które obejmują zarówno bezpośrednie działanie wirusa, jak i pośrednie efekty związane z odpowiedzią immunologiczną organizmu¹.

Bezpośrednie uszkodzenie cytopatyczne

HCV może bezpośrednio uszkadzać lub zabijać zakażone komórki wątroby (hepatocyty) poprzez¹:

Zakłócanie normalnych funkcji komórkowych
Indukcję stresu oksydacyjnego
Zaburzenie metabolizmu lipidów
Indukcję apoptozy (programowanej śmierci komórki)

Mechanizmy immunologiczne

Odpowiedź immunologiczna organizmu na zakażenie HCV może przyczyniać się do uszkodzenia wątroby poprzez¹²:

Przewlekły stan zapalny
Aktywację komórek układu odpornościowego, takich jak limfocyty T cytotoksyczne, które atakują zakażone komórki
Produkcję cytokin prozapalnych
Indukcję mechanizmów autoimmunologicznych

Włóknienie i rozwój marskości

Przewlekłe zapalenie wątroby spowodowane zakażeniem HCV prowadzi do aktywacji komórek gwiaździstych wątroby, które produkują białka macierzy pozakomórkowej, prowadząc do włóknienia¹. Z czasem, postępujące włóknienie może prowadzić do marskości wątroby, charakteryzującej się zniekształceniem architektury wątroby i tworzeniem guzków regeneracyjnych¹.

Stopień włóknienia wątroby ściśle koreluje ze zwiększonym ryzykiem rozwoju raka wątrobowokomórkowego poprzez ułatwianie aberracji genetycznych i promowanie klonów nowotworowych¹.

Mechanizmy karcynogenezy

Interakcja HCV z ludzkim gospodarzem jest złożona i wielowarstwowa. Bezpośrednie i pośrednie mechanizmy rozwoju raka wątrobowokomórkowego (HCC) wywołanego przez HCV obejmują aktywację wielu szlaków, takich jak¹:

Mechanizmy włóknienia wątroby
Szlaki przeżycia komórkowego
Interakcje z układem odpornościowym i metabolicznym
Wpływ genotypu wirusa

Chroniczne zakażenie HCV zwiększa również ryzyko chłoniaka nieziarniczego i nowotworów głowy i szyi¹.

Podsumowanie etiologii WZW C

Wirusowe zapalenie wątroby typu C jest chorobą zakaźną wywoływaną przez wirus HCV, który przenosi się głównie przez kontakt z zakażoną krwią. Wirus charakteryzuje się dużą zmiennością genetyczną, z siedmioma głównymi genotypami i ponad 67 podtypami, co ma znaczenie dla wyboru optymalnej terapii.

Zakażenie HCV może prowadzić do ostrego zapalenia wątroby, które u większości pacjentów przechodzi w przewlekłe zakażenie. Przewlekłe WZW C może prowadzić do poważnych powikłań, takich jak marskość wątroby, niewydolność wątroby i rak wątrobowokomórkowy.

Na przebieg zakażenia HCV wpływają różne czynniki, w tym czynniki wirusowe (genotyp, poziom wiremii), czynniki związane z gospodarzem (wiek, płeć, polimorfizmy genetyczne) oraz czynniki środowiskowe (spożywanie alkoholu, otyłość).

Uszkodzenie wątroby w przebiegu zakażenia HCV wynika zarówno z bezpośredniego działania wirusa, jak i z odpowiedzi immunologicznej organizmu. Przewlekłe zapalenie i włóknienie mogą prowadzić do marskości wątroby i zwiększonego ryzyka rozwoju raka wątrobowokomórkowego.

Obecnie dostępne są skuteczne leki przeciwwirusowe, które mogą wyleczyć ponad 95% przypadków zakażenia HCV, co znacząco zmniejsza ryzyko powikłań i zgonu związanych z tą chorobą¹.

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Materiały źródłowe

#1 Clinical Overview of Hepatitis C | Hepatitis C | CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis-c/hcp/clinical-overview/index.html
Hepatitis C is a disease of the liver caused by infection from the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The virus is primarily transmitted through exposure to infectious blood or body fluids that contain blood. HCV infection can lead to both acute and chronic liver disease. […] Hepatitis C can be a short-term illness, but for most people, acute infection leads to chronic infection. […] More than half of people who become infected with HCV will develop chronic infection. Chronic hepatitis C can cause serious health problems, including liver damage, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver cancer, and even death. […] HCV is transmitted primarily through exposures to infectious blood. […] Injection drug use (currently the most common mode of HCV transmission in the US). […] Hepatitis C can be cured. Simple, well-tolerated treatments can cure more than 95% of hepatitis C cases. […] If untreated, long-term HCV infection can eventually cause chronic liver disease, which can range from mild to severe, including cirrhosis and liver cancer.
#1 Hepatitis C – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430897/
HCV is a spherical, enveloped, positive-strand ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus approximately 55 nm in diameter. […] The genome is approximately 9.6 kb in length. […] HCV transmission requires that infectious virions contact susceptible cells that allow replication. […] HCV RNA can be detected in blood (including serum and plasma), saliva, tears, seminal fluid, ascitic fluid, and cerebrospinal fluid. […] However, for most patients with HCV in the United States and Europe, the infection is acquired via intravenous drug abuse or poor medical practices in resource-limited areas of the world. […] The dominant genotype globally is genotype 1, which is also associated with more severe liver disease and a much greater risk of developing liver cancer. […] Persistent infection appears to be due to weak CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses, which fail to control viral replication.
#1 Hepatitis C: Practice Essentials, Background, Pathophysiology
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/177792-overview
The proteolytic cleavage of the virus results in two structural envelope glycoproteins (E1 and E2) and a core protein. […] HCV may also be transmitted via tattooing, sharing razors, and acupuncture. […] The growing US opioid epidemic and its attendant rise in injection drug users (IDUs) has contributed to a more than a two-fold increase in the annual incidence rate of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection over a decade. […] The overall prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in the United States is 1.8% of the population. […] Racial disparity has also been reported in the all-cause mortality in patients with HCV infection. […] The risk of cirrhosis and HCC doubles in patients who acquired HCV infection via transfusion.
#1 Hepatitis C – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hepatitis-c/symptoms-causes/syc-20354278
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver swelling, called inflammation. Hepatitis C infection is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The infection spreads when blood that has the virus enters the bloodstream of a person who isn’t affected. […] Around the world, hepatitis C infection exists in several forms, called genotypes. There are seven genotypes and 67 subtypes. The most common hepatitis C genotype in the United States is type 1. […] Chronic hepatitis C follows the same course no matter what the genotype of the infecting virus. But treatment can vary depending on viral genotype. However, newer antiviral drugs can treat many genotypes.
#1 Genentech: Hepatitis C
https://www.gene.com/patients/disease-education/hepatitis-c-fact-sheet
There are at least six major known strains, or genotypes, of HCV and over 50 subtypes. Genotype refers to the genetic make-up of an organism or a virus. Genotype 1 is the most common form of HCV in the United States and accounts for about 75 percent of cases. Patients with genotypes 2 and 3 represent only 10 to 20 percent of the HCV population in the United States.3 […] HCV is spread primarily through contact with infected blood. Common routes of infection include:3,6,7 Receiving blood, blood products and organs before June 1992, The use of shared or unsterilized needles and injection equipment (e.g. injection drug use), Birth to an HCV-infected mother, Hemodialysis for kidney failure, Accidental exposure to a needle contaminated with infected blood, Sexual contact with an HCV-infected person, Intranasal cocaine use through shared paraphernalia, Use of unsterilized and infected needles or ink for tattooing and piercing, Sharing infected personal items (e.g., razors, toothbrushes) and other household items that may have blood on them.
#1 Hepatitis C: Practice Essentials, Background, Pathophysiology
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/177792-overview
Hepatitis C is an infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that attacks the liver and leads to inflammation. […] The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of both acute and chronic hepatitis. […] The prevalence of HCV infection varies throughout the world. […] Infection due to HCV accounts for 20% of all cases of acute hepatitis, an estimated 30,000 new acute infections, and 8,000-10,000 deaths each year in the United States. […] Most patients with acute and chronic infection are asymptomatic. […] Although acute HCV infection is usually mild, chronic hepatitis develops in at least 75% of patients. […] Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a spherical, enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus. […] The natural targets of HCV are hepatocytes and, possibly, B lymphocytes.
#1 The Effects of Hepatitis C on Your Body
https://www.healthline.com/health/hepatitis-c/effects-on-the-body
Chronic hepatitis C refers to ongoing liver inflammation due to HCV infection. However, it can lead to symptoms throughout your body, including digestive problems, thyroid tissue damage, and other ongoing effects. […] According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), up to 3.9 million people in the United States may have the chronic form of hepatitis C, which is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). […] According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 58 million people worldwide have chronic hepatitis C. […] Research suggests that about 15-30% of people with chronic hepatitis C will develop liver failure. […] HCV infection causes inflammation that interrupts the liver’s ability to perform these vital functions. […] As hepatitis C progresses, symptoms like skin conditions, blood disorders, and unexplained weight loss may appear. Significantly adverse health outcomes like severe liver damage, liver cancer, and liver failure can also occur. […] Sometimes, HCV can cause the immune system to attack or damage thyroid tissue mistakenly. […] HCV can also lead to autoimmune thyroiditis and thyroid cancer.
#1
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-c
Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus. […] The hepatitis C virus is a bloodborne virus and most infection occur through exposure to blood from unsafe injection practices, unsafe health care, unscreened blood transfusions, injection drug use and sexual practices that lead to exposure to blood. […] Hepatitis C is spread through contact with infected blood. This can happen through sharing needles or syringes, or from unsafe medical procedures such as blood transfusions with unscreened blood products. […] The hepatitis C virus is a bloodborne virus. It is most commonly transmitted through the reuse or inadequate sterilization of medical equipment, especially syringes and needles in healthcare settings; the transfusion of unscreened blood and blood products; and injecting drug use through the sharing of injection equipment.
#1 Hepatitis C: Symptoms, causes, is it curable, and contagiousness
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/294705
Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. […] The hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes hepatitis C. It invades liver cells, causing inflammation, swelling, dysfunction, and eventual organ damage. […] HCV causes hepatitis C. People contract the virus through blood-to-blood contact with contaminated blood. For transmission to occur, blood containing HCV must enter the body of a person without HCV. […] A speck of blood, invisible to the naked eye, can carry hundreds of hepatitis C virus particles, and the virus is not easy to kill. […] The CDC report the following risk factors for developing hepatitis C: using or having used injectable drugs, which is currently the most common route in the U.S.; receiving transfusions or organ transplants before 1992, which is before blood screening became available; having exposure to a needle stick, which is most common in people who work in healthcare; being born to a mother who has hepatitis C.
#1
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hepatitis-c/causes/
You can become infected with hepatitis C if you come into contact with the blood of an infected person. […] The main ways you can become infected with the hepatitis C virus are described here. […] People who inject drugs, including illegal recreational drugs and performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids, are at the highest risk of becoming infected with hepatitis C. […] Almost 90% of hepatitis C cases in the UK occur in people who inject drugs or have injected them in the past. […] The infection can be spread by sharing needles and associated equipment. […] Hepatitis C may be transmitted during sex without using a condom (unprotected sex), although this risk is considered very low. […] If you received a blood transfusion or blood products before 1996, there’s a chance you may have been infected with hepatitis C.
#1 What Is Hepatitis C? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
https://www.everydayhealth.com/hepatitis-c/guide/
Hepatitis C is liver inflammation caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). […] Hepatitis C is transmitted when the blood of an infected person enters the body of someone who isn’t infected. […] Prior infection doesn’t offer protection against the virus, and being cured of hepatitis C does not result in immunity against reinfection. […] Before 1992, when widespread screening of the blood supply began, people could contract the virus through blood transfusions and organ transplants. […] The most common ways that transmission occurs are: Through the sharing of needles and syringes for intravenous drug use, Through accidental needle injuries in healthcare settings, During birth, if the mother has hepatitis C. […] Hepatitis C can be easily transmitted with any blood-to-blood contact. […] Some factors that increase your risk of hepatitis C include working in the healthcare setting or another field in which you have regular contact with blood, having HIV, receiving a tattoo or piercing with nonsterile instruments, and undergoing dialysis for many years.
#1
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hepatitis-c/causes/
If you have a blood transfusion or medical or dental treatment overseas where medical equipment is not sterilised properly, you may become infected with hepatitis C. […] There’s a potential risk that hepatitis C may be passed on through sharing items such as toothbrushes, razors and scissors, as they can become contaminated with infected blood. […] There is a risk that hepatitis C may be passed on by using tattooing or body piercing equipment that has not been properly sterilised. […] There is a small chance that a mother who is infected with the hepatitis C virus will pass the infection on to her baby. […] There’s a small approximately 1 in 50 risk of getting hepatitis C if your skin is accidentally punctured by a needle used by someone with hepatitis C.
#1 Hepatitis C – British Liver Trust
https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/liver-conditions/hepatitis-c/
You can get Hepatitis C more than once. […] There is no vaccine against hepatitis C. Having hepatitis C and then getting better will not stop you from getting it again. If you currently have one type of hepatitis C you can pick up another type at the same time. […] About 1 in 10 people with hepatitis C have no recognised risk factor.
#1 Signs Symptoms | Caring Ambassadors
https://caringambassadors.org/hepatitis-c/signs-symptoms/
According to current understanding, the hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes disease in two general ways. The first is by infecting cells. Once inside the cell, the virus directly damages or kills the cell. This mechanism is called cytopathic damage. The second way the hepatitis C virus causes damage is by provoking an immune response. The immune system is your body’s way of protecting itself from invading agents such as viruses and bacteria. An overactive or misdirected immune response can damage infected cells and the normal surrounding tissues. This mechanism is called immunopathic damage. […] Experts now understand that hepatitis C is not just a liver disease, but is a systemic disease, meaning it can affect nearly any organ of the body. As you read the list of possible signs and symptoms associated with hepatitis C infection, you may find some of the symptoms you have been experiencing that you thought were caused by something else may actually be caused by hepatitis C. This is important because knowing why you are having a symptom is often the first step in alleviating the symptom, or making it less troublesome.
#1 Hepatitis C (Hep C) Transmission Sexually, Symptoms, Curable
https://www.medicinenet.com/hepatitis_c/article.htm
Like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C multiplies very fast and attains very high levels in the body. The genes that make the surface proteins of the virus also mutate (change) quickly, and thousands of genetic variations of the virus („quasi-species”) are produced daily. […] Hepatitis C infection in the liver triggers the immune system, which leads to inflammation. […] Hepatitis C is known to be associated with two skin conditions, lichen planus and porphyria cutanea tarda. […] Diabetes, heart disease, and arterial blockage are more common among patients with chronic hepatitis C infection than in the general population. It may be that liver damage and chronic inflammation caused by hepatitis C may affect the levels of blood fats (lipids) and blood sugar. […] Hepatitis C is the leading reason for 40% to 45% of liver transplants in the U.S. Hepatitis C usually recurs after transplantation and infects the new liver.
#1 Viral Hepatitis: Background, Pathophysiology, Etiology
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/775507-overview
Hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D (HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV [which requires coexisting HBV infection]), and E (HEV) cause the majority of clinical cases of viral hepatitis. […] Whereas HAV and HBV are the most common causes of acute hepatitis in the United States, HCV is the most common cause of chronic hepatitis. […] HCV has a viral incubation period of approximately 8 weeks. […] Approximately 15-45% of patients acutely infected with HCV lose virologic markers for HCV. Thus, about 55-85% of newly infected patients remain viremic and may develop chronic liver disease. […] An estimated 15-30% of patients with chronic hepatitis C experience progression to cirrhosis. […] HCV can be transmitted parenterally, perinatally, and sexually. […] The virus is transmitted most reliably through transfusion of infected blood or blood products, transplantation of organs from infected donors, and the sharing of contaminated needles among IV drug users. […] The wide genetic variability of HCV hampers the efforts of scientists to design an effective anti-HCV vaccine.
#1 Hepatitis C – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430897/
Multiple external factors, including alcohol consumption, HIV/HBV coinfections, Genotype 3 infection, insulin resistance, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, have links with accelerated fibrosis progression and cirrhosis. […] The severity of liver fibrosis tightly correlates with the increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma via facilitating genetic aberrations and promoting neoplastic clones. […] The progression of the disease is more common in heavy users of alcohol, cirrhotics, and those with a coexisting HBV infection. […] Individuals who have an undetectable viral load generally have a decreased risk of developing cirrhosis and death.
#1 Hepatitis C Virus: History and Current Knowledge
https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7422/15/3/49
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents a public health problem of primary importance worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that, globally, 58 million people have chronic hepatitis C virus infection, with about 1.5 million new infections occurring each year. […] HCV is responsible for both hepatic and extrahepatic damage (extrahepatic manifestations of HCV). The variety of extrahepatic diseases potentially associated with HCV has led to the term âHCV diseaseâ, meaning that this infection should be considered a systemic disease, with broad internal impacts, rather than being considered as a strictly hepatological disease. […] HCV is transmitted through exposure to infected blood. In the past, the main apparent parenteral transmission modality was through blood transfusions and blood products from infected donors.
#1 Hepatitis C | Condition | UAMS Health
https://uamshealth.com/condition/hepatitis-c/
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. Inflammation can damage organs. One type, hepatitis C, is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. […] Hepatitis C spreads through contact with the blood of someone who has HCV. […] Before 1992, hepatitis C was also commonly spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants. […] You are more likely to get hepatitis C if you have injected drugs, had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992, have hemophilia and received clotting factor before 1987, have been on kidney dialysis, have been in contact with blood or infected needles at work, have had tattoos or body piercings, have worked or lived in a prison, were born to a mother with hepatitis C, have HIV, have had more than one sex partner in the last 6 months, have had a sexually transmitted infection (STI), or are a man who has had sex with men (MSM). […] Without treatment, hepatitis C may lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. Early diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C can prevent these complications. […] Treatment for hepatitis C is with antiviral medicines. They can cure the disease in most cases.
#1
https://www.beaumont.org/conditions/hepatitis-c
Hepatitis C a leading cause of liver disease and liver cancer is considered a silent killer because it progresses without any indications of illness. […] Recovery from this infection, which is caused by a blood borne virus discovered in 1989, is rare; about 55 to 80 percent of infected persons become chronic carriers of the virus. […] Transmission of hepatitis C occurs primarily from contact with infected blood, but can also occur from sexual contact or from an infected mother to her baby. Blood transfusions prior to 1992 and the use of shared needles are other significant causes of the spread of hepatitis C. […] There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. […] The high incidence of undiagnosed hepatitis C in baby boomers can be attributed to generational activities including sex and drugs. […] Also, the virus was not identified until 1989; so many people were passing it around without knowing it.
#1 Management of Acute HCV Infection | HCV Guidance
https://www.hcvguidelines.org/unique-populations/acute-infection
Acute hepatitis C infection is most often asymptomatic and frequently develops into chronic infection. […] Although HCV infection is primarily associated with injection drug use, certain behaviors (eg, unprotected [without a condom] receptive anal intercourse) primarily among men who have sex with men are risk factors for transmission. […] The syndemic of opioid use disorder and HCV and HIV transmission contributes to the burden of disease in certain populations. […] Diagnosis of acute HCV infection enables estimation of annual incidence rates and transmission patterns, thereby facilitating implementation and assessment of prevention programs. […] The best laboratory evidence to support a diagnosis of acute HCV infection is a positive HCV RNA test in the setting of a negative HCV antibody test (identification during the seronegative window period).
#1 Hepatitis C | HCV | MaineHealth
https://www.mainehealth.org/care-services/infectious-disease-care-travel-medicine/hepatitis-c-hcv
Hepatitis C also is known as Hep C. It is an infectious disease transmitted through blood, including sharing needles and sexual contact. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes inflammation of the liver. […] Hepatitis C starts as an acute infection. This typically leads to chronic hepatitis C, which can last a lifetime. […] Risk factors for HCV include: Sharing needles or other drug related equipment, Blood transfusions/organ transplants before 1992, Products for blood clotting problems made before 1987, Body piercings or tattoos with non-sterile equipment, HIV infection, Being born to HCV-positive mothers, Needlesticks in healthcare professions. […] If you have hepatitis C, it is not very likely that you will spread the virus through sex. But it is still possible. Men who are HIV positive and have hepatitis C are most at risk of spreading the virus. […] Hepatitis C goes undiagnosed often because many people show no symptoms, or symptoms are so general that they can be overlooked for other health problems. […] There are many different antiviral medications that help treat hepatitis C.
#1 Management of Acute HCV Infection | HCV Guidance
https://www.hcvguidelines.org/unique-populations/acute-infection
HCV infection spontaneously clears in 20% to 50% of patients. […] Clearance of acute HCV infection occurs within 6 months of the estimated time of infection (median, 16.5 weeks) in at least 2/3 of patients who spontaneously clear HCV. […] Predictors of spontaneous clearance include jaundice, elevated ALT level, hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity, female sex, younger age, genotype 1 infection, and host genetic polymorphisms, most notably those near the IL28B gene.
#1 Genentech: Hepatitis C
https://www.gene.com/patients/disease-education/hepatitis-c-fact-sheet
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne, infectious disease of the liver, which can lead to serious liver problems, including cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States.1 […] Approximately 75 to 85 percent of people exposed to the hepatitis C virus (HCV) develop chronic infection, a long-term illness that occurs when HCV remains in a person’s body. Of those, approximately 60 to 70 percent of people will develop chronic liver disease, and up to 20 percent will develop cirrhosis, if HCV remains untreated.1 Chronic liver disease due to HCV is marked by inflammation of the liver tissue with gradual damage or scarring of liver tissue (fibrosis). Over many years, some patients may develop cirrhosis where the scarring involves most of the liver. Patients with cirrhosis are at increased risk for developing liver cancer.2
#1 Hepatitis C – NIDDK
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/liver-disease/viral-hepatitis/hepatitis-c
Hepatitis C may lead to serious complications. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent complications. […] Chronic hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis, a condition in which scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue and prevents your liver from working normally. […] Chronic hepatitis C can lead to liver failure, in which your liver is badly damaged and stops working properly. […] People with cirrhosis have a higher chance of developing liver cancer. […] Most people infected with hepatitis C have few or no symptoms. […] The hepatitis C virus spreads through contact with an infected persons blood. […] You cant get hepatitis C from being coughed or sneezed on by an infected person. […] If you have hepatitis C, choose healthy foods and drinks.
#1 Mechanisms involved in liver damage resolution after hepatitis C virus clearance | Medicina Universitaria
https://www.elsevier.es/en-revista-medicina-universitaria-304-articulo-mechanisms-involved-in-liver-damage-S166557961730039X
Worldwide, the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading etiology of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The main complications of chronic HCV infection are fibrosis, cirrhosis and HCC. […] The interaction of HCV with its human host is complex and multilayered; direct and indirect mechanisms of HCV-induced HCC include activation of multiple host pathways such as liver fibrogenic mechanisms, cellular and survival pathways, interaction with the immune and metabolic systems, and viral genotype, etc. […] Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide pandemic with an estimated 150200 million people infected globally (2.8%), and there are three to four million people newly infected each year, as estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO). […] A chronic HCV infection is influenced by several factors, such as age at time of infection, ethnicity, gender and the establishment of jaundice during the acute infection.
#1 Hepatitis C, Acute – Hepatic and Biliary Disorders – Merck Manual Professional Edition
https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/hepatic-and-biliary-disorders/hepatitis/hepatitis-c-acute
Hepatitis C is caused by an RNA virus that is often parenterally transmitted. […] Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded RNA flavivirus that causes acute viral hepatitis and is a common cause of chronic viral hepatitis. […] Up to 20% of patients with alcohol-related liver disease harbor HCV. The reasons for this high association are unclear because concomitant alcohol and drug use accounts for only a portion of cases. […] Hepatitis C is usually transmitted by parenteral contact with contaminated blood; transmission from mucosal contact with other body fluids and perinatal transmission from infected mothers are rare. […] About 75% of patients with acute hepatitis C develop chronic hepatitis C, which leads to cirrhosis in 20 to 30%; some patients with cirrhosis develop hepatocellular carcinoma. […] There is no vaccine for hepatitis C.
#1 Hepatitis C and liver cancer: What you need to know | MD Anderson Cancer Center
https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/HepatitisC-liver-cancer-What-you-need-to-know.h16Z1591413.html
Several viruses besides HPV have been linked to cancer, including hepatitis C, which is linked to liver cancer. […] Hepatitis C is the most common blood-borne infection in the United States. Its also the leading cause of liver cancer. […] This ongoing infection causes inflammation in the liver. This extended inflammation can cause scarring, called cirrhosis, and can ultimately lead to liver cancer. […] Chronic hepatitis C also increases the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and head and neck cancers. […] Knowing the risk factors and getting screened are your best defenses against cancers caused by hepatitis C. Treatment of this virus can reduce your risk of liver cancer by 75%. […] Of the seven viruses that can cause cancer, hepatitis C is the only one thats curable.
#1 Hepatitis C – Arizona Liver Health
https://azliver.com/category/hepatitis-c/
Hepatitis C is a liver infection from the hepatitis C virus (HCV). For some people, HCV causes short-term illness. However, for more than half, it becomes a long-term, chronic infection that can result in severe and life-threatening health problems. […] The hepatitis C virus spreads by coming into contact with an infected personâs blood. Hepatitis C can cause an acute or chronic infection: […] Chronic hepatitis C occurs when the body cannot fight off the virus, resulting in a long-lasting infection. Around 75 to 85 percent of people with acute hepatitis C will develop chronic hepatitis C. […] Hepatitis means âinflammation of the liverâ from infection, autoimmune disorder, or other factors. […] HCV can cause cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. […] The World Health Organization (WHO) states that antiviral medicines can cure more than 95% of persons with hepatitis C infection.
#2 Genentech: Hepatitis C
https://www.gene.com/patients/disease-education/hepatitis-c-fact-sheet
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne, infectious disease of the liver, which can lead to serious liver problems, including cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States.1 […] Approximately 75 to 85 percent of people exposed to the hepatitis C virus (HCV) develop chronic infection, a long-term illness that occurs when HCV remains in a person’s body. Of those, approximately 60 to 70 percent of people will develop chronic liver disease, and up to 20 percent will develop cirrhosis, if HCV remains untreated.1 Chronic liver disease due to HCV is marked by inflammation of the liver tissue with gradual damage or scarring of liver tissue (fibrosis). Over many years, some patients may develop cirrhosis where the scarring involves most of the liver. Patients with cirrhosis are at increased risk for developing liver cancer.2
#2 Hepatitis C: Practice Essentials, Background, Pathophysiology
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/177792-overview
Hepatitis C is an infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that attacks the liver and leads to inflammation. […] The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of both acute and chronic hepatitis. […] The prevalence of HCV infection varies throughout the world. […] Infection due to HCV accounts for 20% of all cases of acute hepatitis, an estimated 30,000 new acute infections, and 8,000-10,000 deaths each year in the United States. […] Most patients with acute and chronic infection are asymptomatic. […] Although acute HCV infection is usually mild, chronic hepatitis develops in at least 75% of patients. […] Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a spherical, enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus. […] The natural targets of HCV are hepatocytes and, possibly, B lymphocytes.
#2 Genentech: Hepatitis C
https://www.gene.com/patients/disease-education/hepatitis-c-fact-sheet
There are at least six major known strains, or genotypes, of HCV and over 50 subtypes. Genotype refers to the genetic make-up of an organism or a virus. Genotype 1 is the most common form of HCV in the United States and accounts for about 75 percent of cases. Patients with genotypes 2 and 3 represent only 10 to 20 percent of the HCV population in the United States.3 […] HCV is spread primarily through contact with infected blood. Common routes of infection include:3,6,7 Receiving blood, blood products and organs before June 1992, The use of shared or unsterilized needles and injection equipment (e.g. injection drug use), Birth to an HCV-infected mother, Hemodialysis for kidney failure, Accidental exposure to a needle contaminated with infected blood, Sexual contact with an HCV-infected person, Intranasal cocaine use through shared paraphernalia, Use of unsterilized and infected needles or ink for tattooing and piercing, Sharing infected personal items (e.g., razors, toothbrushes) and other household items that may have blood on them.
#2 Hepatitis C (Hep C) Transmission Sexually, Symptoms, Curable
https://www.medicinenet.com/hepatitis_c/article.htm
Hepatitis C virus infection is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus (also referred to as HCV or hep C). It is difficult for the human immune system to eliminate hepatitis C from the body, and infection with hepatitis C usually becomes chronic. Over decades, chronic infection with hepatitis C damages the liver and can cause liver failure. […] Hepatitis C is one of several viruses that can cause viral hepatitis. It is unrelated to the other common hepatitis viruses (for example, hepatitis A or hepatitis B). Hepatitis C is a member of the Flaviviridae family of viruses. Other members of this family of viruses include those that cause yellow fever and dengue fever. […] There are at least six different genotypes (strains) of the virus which have different genetic profiles (genotypes 1 to 6). In the U. S., genotype 1 is the most common strain of hepatitis C.
#2
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hepatitis-c/causes/
You can become infected with hepatitis C if you come into contact with the blood of an infected person. […] The main ways you can become infected with the hepatitis C virus are described here. […] People who inject drugs, including illegal recreational drugs and performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids, are at the highest risk of becoming infected with hepatitis C. […] Almost 90% of hepatitis C cases in the UK occur in people who inject drugs or have injected them in the past. […] The infection can be spread by sharing needles and associated equipment. […] Hepatitis C may be transmitted during sex without using a condom (unprotected sex), although this risk is considered very low. […] If you received a blood transfusion or blood products before 1996, there’s a chance you may have been infected with hepatitis C.
#2
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-c
Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus. […] The hepatitis C virus is a bloodborne virus and most infection occur through exposure to blood from unsafe injection practices, unsafe health care, unscreened blood transfusions, injection drug use and sexual practices that lead to exposure to blood. […] Hepatitis C is spread through contact with infected blood. This can happen through sharing needles or syringes, or from unsafe medical procedures such as blood transfusions with unscreened blood products. […] The hepatitis C virus is a bloodborne virus. It is most commonly transmitted through the reuse or inadequate sterilization of medical equipment, especially syringes and needles in healthcare settings; the transfusion of unscreened blood and blood products; and injecting drug use through the sharing of injection equipment.
#2 What Is Hepatitis C? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
https://www.everydayhealth.com/hepatitis-c/guide/
Hepatitis C is liver inflammation caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). […] Hepatitis C is transmitted when the blood of an infected person enters the body of someone who isn’t infected. […] Prior infection doesn’t offer protection against the virus, and being cured of hepatitis C does not result in immunity against reinfection. […] Before 1992, when widespread screening of the blood supply began, people could contract the virus through blood transfusions and organ transplants. […] The most common ways that transmission occurs are: Through the sharing of needles and syringes for intravenous drug use, Through accidental needle injuries in healthcare settings, During birth, if the mother has hepatitis C. […] Hepatitis C can be easily transmitted with any blood-to-blood contact. […] Some factors that increase your risk of hepatitis C include working in the healthcare setting or another field in which you have regular contact with blood, having HIV, receiving a tattoo or piercing with nonsterile instruments, and undergoing dialysis for many years.
#2
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hepatitis-c/causes/
If you have a blood transfusion or medical or dental treatment overseas where medical equipment is not sterilised properly, you may become infected with hepatitis C. […] There’s a potential risk that hepatitis C may be passed on through sharing items such as toothbrushes, razors and scissors, as they can become contaminated with infected blood. […] There is a risk that hepatitis C may be passed on by using tattooing or body piercing equipment that has not been properly sterilised. […] There is a small chance that a mother who is infected with the hepatitis C virus will pass the infection on to her baby. […] There’s a small approximately 1 in 50 risk of getting hepatitis C if your skin is accidentally punctured by a needle used by someone with hepatitis C.
#2 Risks and causes – The Hepatitis C Trust
https://www.hepctrust.org.uk/about-hep-c/risks-and-causes/
Hepatitis C prevalence is much higher among people who are HIV-positive than those who are not. […] Sharing personal hygiene products such as toothbrushes, razors or hair and nail clippers with someone carrying the virus may pose a potential risk of contracting hepatitis C. […] The risks of contracting hepatitis C through tattooing are mainly associated with reused and unsterilised needles, although the virus has also been found in tattooing ink.
#2 Hepatitis C: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment | MedPark Hospital
https://www.medparkhospital.com/en-US/disease-and-treatment/hepatitis-c
Hepatitis C affects around 3% of the world population. […] Hepatitis C transmission occurs through infected blood, and the infection can happen through: […] There is a 5% chance of passing the virus from infected pregnant women to the fetus. […] Hepatitis C is not transmitted through hugging, kissing, coughing, sneezing, sharing meals or cutlery, or other kinds of contact which do not involve blood. […] People treated and cured have no immunity against hepatitis C and can still have reinfection if exposed to the virus.
#2
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-c
HCV can be passed from an infected mother to her baby and via sexual practices that lead to exposure to blood (for example, people with multiple sexual partners and among men who have sex with men); however, these modes of transmission are less common. […] There is no effective vaccine against hepatitis C. The best way to prevent the disease is to avoid contact with the virus.
#2 Hepatitis C, Acute – Hepatic and Biliary Disorders – Merck Manual Professional Edition
https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/hepatic-and-biliary-disorders/hepatitis/hepatitis-c-acute
Hepatitis C is caused by an RNA virus that is often parenterally transmitted. […] Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded RNA flavivirus that causes acute viral hepatitis and is a common cause of chronic viral hepatitis. […] Up to 20% of patients with alcohol-related liver disease harbor HCV. The reasons for this high association are unclear because concomitant alcohol and drug use accounts for only a portion of cases. […] Hepatitis C is usually transmitted by parenteral contact with contaminated blood; transmission from mucosal contact with other body fluids and perinatal transmission from infected mothers are rare. […] About 75% of patients with acute hepatitis C develop chronic hepatitis C, which leads to cirrhosis in 20 to 30%; some patients with cirrhosis develop hepatocellular carcinoma. […] There is no vaccine for hepatitis C.
#2
https://www.everlywell.com/blog/sti-testing/what-causes-hepatitis-c/?srsltid=AfmBOooZ47h7AnR8rgcgYfmtoGNxn_Wtx0qykK87MhQiSSx00CTGpRbf
As mentioned above, hepatitis C comes from a virusthe hepatitis C virus. […] The HCV genotype and subtype generally do not matter in terms of how the virus progresses, though some evidence shows that genotype 3 causes liver disease to progress more quickly.
#2 Hepatitis C – Arizona Liver Health
https://azliver.com/category/hepatitis-c/
Risk factors for HCV: Healthcare workers exposed to infected blood, History or a current user of injected or inhaled illicit drugs, Diagnosed with HIV, Have tattoos or body piercings, Underwent a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992, Were treated with clotting factor concentrates before 1987, If your mother had a hepatitis C infection when you were born, If you ever worked or lived in prison, Have been on kidney dialysis.
#2 Hepatitis C (HCV, Hep C): Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Transmission & Vaccine
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/hepatitis_c/article_em.htm
Hepatitis C can be prevented by avoiding contact with blood and body fluids from anyone who is or might be infected with hepatitis C. […] Hepatitis C is only contracted through contact with another person who is infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It is not acquired through contact with animals or insects. […] Hepatitis C is present primarily in the blood, and to a lesser degree in specific other body fluids, of an infected person. Today, it is passed most commonly through the sharing of used needles by injection drug users. […] In the United States, having been born between 1945 and 1965, and the use of illicit injection drugs are the two most common factors associated with hepatitis C. […] The treatment of chronic hepatitis C has gone through several generations of medications.
#2 Hepatitis – NFID
https://www.nfid.org/infectious-disease/hepatitis/
Many people with acute hepatitis C infection do not have symptoms, do not look or feel sick, and therefore do not know they are infected. […] Most people with chronic HCV infections do not experience symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose and treat. Many eventually develop chronic liver disease, which can range from mild to severe and include cirrhosis and liver cancer. Chronic liver disease in those with hepatitis C usually happens slowly, without any signs or symptoms, over several decades. […] There is currently no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C. The best way to prevent HCV infection is to avoid contact with contaminated blood and avoid high-risk behaviors including intravenous drug use and unprotected sex. […] A new or acute HCV infection does not usually require treatment. However, when HCV infection becomes chronic, treatment is necessary. There are several medications available for chronic HCV infection. More than 90% of people with hepatitis C can be cured with 8-12 weeks of oral therapy.
#2 Hepatitis: Causes and Risk Factors
https://www.verywellhealth.com/hepatitis-causes-and-risk-factors-4689127
Several things can cause hepatitis, including microbes, harmful substances, and medical conditions. The most common form of hepatitis is viral hepatitis, brought on by viruses hepatitis B and C. […] Viral hepatitis is the most common type of hepatitis, and its primarily caused by five viruses: hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. […] Among these viruses, HBV and HCV are the most common causes of chronic infections and the most likely to cause severe liver damage. […] While some hepatitis C (HCV) infections are only temporary (or acute), the majority (75% to 85%) of people with acute hepatitis C will develop chronic hepatitis C. […] Some researchers think other viruses (not listed above) might also cause hepatitis, but so far no more microbes have been clearly linked to the condition.
#2 Hepatitis C Symptoms & Treatment in Children | Children’s Pittsburgh
https://www.chp.edu/our-services/transplant/liver/education/liver-disease-states/hepatitis-c
Serious complications of hepatitis C infection include: The possibility that the infection will become chronic, leading to progressive liver failure, Increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), Cirrhosis Within about 20 years of exposure, about 20 percent of individuals develop cirrhosis, which leads to end-stage liver disease.
#2 The Effects of Hepatitis C on Your Body
https://www.healthline.com/health/hepatitis-c/effects-on-the-body
Chronic hepatitis C refers to ongoing liver inflammation due to HCV infection. However, it can lead to symptoms throughout your body, including digestive problems, thyroid tissue damage, and other ongoing effects. […] According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), up to 3.9 million people in the United States may have the chronic form of hepatitis C, which is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). […] According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 58 million people worldwide have chronic hepatitis C. […] Research suggests that about 15-30% of people with chronic hepatitis C will develop liver failure. […] HCV infection causes inflammation that interrupts the liver’s ability to perform these vital functions. […] As hepatitis C progresses, symptoms like skin conditions, blood disorders, and unexplained weight loss may appear. Significantly adverse health outcomes like severe liver damage, liver cancer, and liver failure can also occur. […] Sometimes, HCV can cause the immune system to attack or damage thyroid tissue mistakenly. […] HCV can also lead to autoimmune thyroiditis and thyroid cancer.
#2 Management of Acute HCV Infection | HCV Guidance
https://www.hcvguidelines.org/unique-populations/acute-infection
HCV infection spontaneously clears in 20% to 50% of patients. […] Clearance of acute HCV infection occurs within 6 months of the estimated time of infection (median, 16.5 weeks) in at least 2/3 of patients who spontaneously clear HCV. […] Predictors of spontaneous clearance include jaundice, elevated ALT level, hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity, female sex, younger age, genotype 1 infection, and host genetic polymorphisms, most notably those near the IL28B gene.
#2 Mechanisms involved in liver damage resolution after hepatitis C virus clearance | Medicina Universitaria
https://www.elsevier.es/en-revista-medicina-universitaria-304-articulo-mechanisms-involved-in-liver-damage-S166557961730039X
Worldwide, the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading etiology of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The main complications of chronic HCV infection are fibrosis, cirrhosis and HCC. […] The interaction of HCV with its human host is complex and multilayered; direct and indirect mechanisms of HCV-induced HCC include activation of multiple host pathways such as liver fibrogenic mechanisms, cellular and survival pathways, interaction with the immune and metabolic systems, and viral genotype, etc. […] Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide pandemic with an estimated 150200 million people infected globally (2.8%), and there are three to four million people newly infected each year, as estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO). […] A chronic HCV infection is influenced by several factors, such as age at time of infection, ethnicity, gender and the establishment of jaundice during the acute infection.