what is hepatitis c? hepatitis c vaccine schedule? hep c vaccine ?

  HEPATITIS C

Until a few years ago, the only types of viral hepatitis that could be confirmed were type A and type B. All other were described as infection could be confirmed in blood tests of patients. Since the hepatitis C virus was identified in the year 1989, it has been shown to be the major cause of parenterally transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis

Description:

hepatitis c

Hepatitis C virus is an enveloped single-stranded RNA virus which appears to be distantly related(possibly in its evolution) to flavi viruses, although hepatitis C is not transmitted by arthropod vectors. It is most common blood-borne pathogen.

World problem:

The hepatitis C virus reaches across the globe with highest prevalence in north Africa ana south Asia. A major challenge is buying treatments and vaccines to the various viral genotypes which affect treatment response.
Hepatitis C virus infects nearly 2% of the general population, but 90% of long-term injection drug users.
Egypt has the highest prevalence of hepatitis C with more than 14% of people infected. Upto 85% of patients with acute HCV infection leads to chronic infection defined by persistently detectable HCV RNA for greater than or equals to 6 months.Approximately 20% of patients with chronic Hepatitis C will develop cirrhosis and half of those patients will progress to decompensated cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma.

Transmission:

• Through IV drug use
• Through sexual contact
• Hemodialysis
• Household, occupational or perinatal exposure

Symptoms:

• Patients with acute HCV are often asymptomatic and undiagnosed
• Fatigue
• Anorexia
• Weakness
• Jaundice
• Abdominal pain
• Dark urine

Diagnostic tests:

• Hepatitis C antibody test
Reactive
Non-reactive
• PCR(polymerase chain reaction)
Qualitative HCV RNA
Quantitative HCV RNA
• HCV genotype
• Tests for liver damage
Magnetic resonance elastography(MRE)
Transient elastogrpahy
Liver biopsy

Prevention:

Major prevention problems persists in the developing countries. Many of them cannot afford the anti-HCV blood test kits, where the use of contaminated equipment for injection and other medical and dental procedures is widespread. Health education programs are also needed to inform the general public and health care workers about the risk of transmitting infection with the use of unsterile equipment. Surveillance on a globe scale needs to be strengthened in order to improve medical knowledge of transmission of the virus.

Treatment:

1- Treatment with Pegylated interferon+ ribavirin
2- Sodobovir + other antiviral medicines
3- HARVONI(ledipasvir/sofobovir 90/400mg tablets)

Treatment goals:

• Eradicate HCV infection
• Prevent the development of chronic HCV infection and sequelae


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