Chronic viral hepatitis c – treatment of disease. Symptoms and prevention of the disease chronic hepatitis c

Chronic viral hepatitis c – What is this disease? Chronic hepatitis c is diffuse liver disease, caused by hepatitis c virus (HCV), that last for more than 6 months.

Risk acute viral hepatitis C and recover, According to different sources, up to 15-30%. Acute viral hepatitis is diagnosed with little or no, Therefore, in most cases becomes chronic.

Chronic hepatitis c does not pass on its own and requires full and long term care.

Hepatitis C: causes and factors

Exciter-RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae genomic, capable of long exist in the human body, that leads to a high level of chronicity of infection.

The source of infection is sick of acute and chronic forms of the disease, that may occur as with clinical manifestations, and asymptomatic.

Mechanism of transmission is through contaminated blood, to a lesser extent through other human biological fluids (saliva, urine, seed and ascite fluid).

Hepatitis c transmission to the fetus from a pregnant rare, but it is possible with a high concentration of virus in the mother, with concomitant HIV infection.

You can select the following groups the risk of disease:

• person, in contact with blood (Patients, transfusion assigned, medical workers, drug addicts);
• person, travelling in areas with the spread of the virus;
• person, often in contact or live with hepatitis b patients.

Are dental procedures. Lack of treatment leads to dental instruments, that hepatitis c virus survives on them (If the previous patient blood had hepatitis c virus) and can penetrate into the blood to a healthy patient. The same danger some cosmetic procedures.

There is currently a hypothesis, that become infected with viral hepatitis c can and some by the bite of bloodsucking insects. In particular, This applies to bedbugs, mosquitoes, mosquitoes and other.

Types of disease: classification of hepatitis c

On the lengthy process of viral hepatitis with divided into:

• acute-to 6 months;
• chronic-over 6 months.

On the severity of clinical manifestations distinguishes:

• asymptomatic forms (virus carrier);
• manifestnye.

Like other types of viral hepatitis, chronic hepatitis c may be in zheltushnoj and bezzheltushnoj form.

On contemporary views, hepatitis c virus has six different genotypes. Specific spatial distribution of genotypes of hepatitis c virus do not have. Hepatitis c virus genotypes are identified by Arabic numerals (from 1 to 6), and their subtypes are designated by letters of the alphabet (eg, 1and, 1b, 1(c) etc.).

• The first genotype of the hepatitis c virus is distributed throughout. There are three subtypes – 1and, 1b, 1c. If one is found, the genotype of the patient should rely on long-term treatment is up to a year or more.
• Second the genotype of the hepatitis c virus is distributed throughout. Allocate 4 subtype second genotype-a, b, c, d. Usually, treatment of virus second genotype is not more 6 months.
• Third genotype is distributed throughout. Allocate 6 subtypes of the genotype is a, b, c, d, e, f. When the hepatitis c virus infection 3 genotype there is a risk of fatty liver degeneration. Usually, the treatment lasts 6 months.
• The fourth genotype is distributed mainly in the countries of Central Africa and the Middle East. Allocated 10 subtypes of the genotype is a, b, c, d, e, f, (g), h, I, (j).
• Fifth-first registered genotype in southern Africa. While selected 1 subtype genotype. Hepatitis c virus genotype studied with little.
• Sixth-first registered genotype in Asia. While selected 1 subtype genotype; poorly studied.

The symptoms of hepatitis c: as manifested disease

Chronic viral hepatitis c, usually, flows with scarce clinical picture. Fatigue may occur periodically, weakness. Hepatitis c often leads to deterioration of appetite and even to avoid some types of foods. In the area of right hypochondrium with viral hepatitis c often noted pain or discomfort. This is mainly due to the phenomenon of psoriasis or inflammation of the gall bladder. Lesions of the liver parenchyma of pain not found.

When the survey detected a slight increase in liver. It is marked by palpation. In some cases, along with the increase in the liver also notes and increased spleen. The active phase may have decreased appetite, weight loss, Repeat raising body temperature. The disease wavy.

Feature of chronic viral hepatitis c (as viral hepatitis b) is the fact, the disease is accompanied by and a number of extrahepatic symptoms, among which:

• the defeat of the joints and the heart muscle due to Rheumatoid inflammation, that can accompany viral hepatitis c;
• blurred vision due to lesion of the optic organs;
• different rashes on the skin and/or mucous membranes;
• defeat in the organs of the urinary system (in particular, kidneys and bladder).

Hepatitis takes place equally in women, and men. But, in pregnant women and infants, the disease may be accompanied by certain specific symptoms:

• Hepatitis c in pregnancy. Hepatitis c in pregnant women can be dangerous to the fetus. At the same time, modern views on this disease in pregnant women suggest the fact, that despite infection with hepatitis c virus, a woman can carry and give birth to a healthy baby. In some cases, monitoring of pregnant woman may in hospital (more frequent outpatient). If a woman against the backdrop of hepatitis c developed cirrhosis, It is recommended to abandon pregnancy.
• Hepatitis c in infants. Generally, There is no more 5-6% transmission of the hepatitis c virus from a pregnant woman to fetus. Antibodies to the virus penetrates through the placental barrier, and their, usually, found in the blood of a baby up to 1 year old.

Actions of the patient with hepatitis c

When signs of illness you should consult your doctor immediately (family doctor, therapist, gastroenterologist). It is necessary to abandon the use of drugs, alcohol.

Diagnosis of hepatitis c

Diagnosis of chronic viral hepatitis with epidemiological data should be taken into account (the presence of blood transfusion, rapid intervention, hemodialysis in the past, addiction and t, d.).

There are various methods for identifying and monitoring HCV infection. Stimulate antibodies using ELISA method, recombinant immunoblotingovyh methods (RIBA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), transcriptionally-mediated amplification (TOA).

Liver biopsy can give the histological characteristic lesions, but not diagnosed HCV infection.

Treatment of hepatitis c

The goal of therapy is for (the destruction of) Virus, improvement of histological picture of liver, slowing the progression of the disease, decreased risk of malignancy, improving the quality of life.

For jetiopatogeneticheskogo treatment using anti-viral drugs (Cytokines, interferons), immunosuppressants, a combination of drugs and hepatoprotectors (essentiale, гепабене etc).

According to statistics, treatment is more difficult to hepatitis c in people over 40 years, Men, patients with normal transaminase activity, u have 1 (b) the genotype of the virus,with a high viral load. The presence of cirrhosis of the liver at the time of the commencement of therapy worsen the prognosis.

Categories of people, which counter the combined antiviral treatment:

• Patients, suffering from severe diseases (eg, diabetes, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease);
• patients after kidney transplantation, light,hearts;
• Patients, which application of interferon causes exacerbation of autoimmune process;
• Untreated patients with gipertireoidizmom;
• pregnant women;
• children under three years.

Complications of hepatitis c

The most serious consequences of chronic HCV infection liver fibrosis, which progresses to cirrhosis, terminal stage liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma. The incidence of cirrhosis of the liver after twenty years after acute infection-17-55 %. Risk of serious complications of infection increases men, Seniors, the presence of hepatitis b, immunodeficiencies.

Hepatitis c prevention

• Never use injectable drugs;
• Get vaccinated against hepatitis a, IN, that saves the liver the risk of co-infection;
• Do not use other people's shaving machines, toothbrushes, appliances, any objects, where can be blood;
• Health professionals should always observe safety precautions when working with sharp objects, be vaccinated against hepatitis b;
• It is not recommended to do tattoos, piercing.