Chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is a major cause for developing cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, with an estimated global prevalence of 3% occurring in about 180 million carriers and approximately 4 million people are being newly infected annually (1). According to WHO, HCV is found worldwide with certain countries having chronic infection rates as high as 5% or above. In India 12.5 million people are infected with HCV (2). This virus is spread primarily by blood to blood contact associated with intravenous drug use, poorly sterilized medical equipment and transfusions (3). The gold standard therapy for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) consists of Pegylated Interferon (Peg-IFN) and ribavirin, but reports show that the drugs are not well tolerated (4). Recent observations on the genetic determinants of CHC established that a single nucleotide polymorphism in the interleukin (IL)-28B gene influences the treatment outcome of the HCV. The genomic region associated with HCV treatment response lies on chromosome 19 and contains multiple SNP’s in linkage disequilibrium around the IL28B gene (5). Some of these variations may result in the altered IL28B gene, which is strongly associated with more than 2 fold difference in the rate of sustained virological response (SVR) in IFN based treatment (4). IL28B rs 12979860 (rs 60) genotype (CC, CT, TT) was the first polymorphism of the IL28B gene to be identified and was associated with two fold improvement amongst European, Hispanic and African –American population. The second polymorphism identified at rs 8099917(rs 17) genotype (TT, TG, GG) was found to be strongly associated in individuals of Australian and northern European ancestry (6).
Different studies have shown that race, ge...
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... progression of hepatitis C virus in Moroccan patient. PLoS One. 2013; 8(1):e54793
17. Sivaprasad S, Rao PN, Gupta R, Ashwini K, Reddy DN. The Distribution of
Genotype and Allelic Frequency of IL28B Gene Polymorphism in Andhra
Pradesh, India. J Clin Exp Hepatol 2012; 2(1): 112-115
18. Lutz P, Wasmuth JC, Nischalke HD et al. Progression of liver fibrosis in HIV/HCV genotype 1 co-infected patients is related to the T allele of the rs12979860 polymorphism of the IL28B gene. Eur J Med Res. 2011; 16(8):335-41
19. Rembeck K, Alsio A, Christensen PB, Farkkila M, Langeland N, et al. Impact of
IL28B-related single nucleotide polymorphisms on liver histopathology in chronic hepatitis C genotype 2 and 3. PLoS One 2012; 7: e29370. (doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0029370)
Hepatitis B virus infection is caused by a DNA virus belonging to the hepadnaviridae family of viruses. Approximately 2.2 million people in the United States of America are infected with Hepatitis B virus. Many of these patients, though they appear healthy, continue to spread the virus to others. Hepatitis B virus infection can be transmitted in the following ways: contact with contaminated blood (shared needles), sexual contact, and from mother to child. Unlike Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B is not spread through food, water, or causal contact. 95% of adults who get Hepatitis B can clear the virus through their system. However the remainder of the adults go on to develop chronic hepatitis B infection. This can
There is 1.4 million people infected with CHB in United States (CDC, 2017). Even though the incidence of CHB has decreased in the U.S. two ethnic groups with highest prevalence of CYB in U.S. are Asian with 1 in 12 Asian Americans have CHB, and 1in 10 African-born in U.S. has CHB (HepBMD, 2017). Approximately 90% of infants that get HBV becomes chronically infected and 1 out of 4 dies (CDC, 2017). A person with CHB is one hundred times more likely to develop liver cancer. An estimated 686,000 people die every year worldwide for complications of HBV 2,000 people in U.S. die yearly from HBV related liver
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a virus that attacks the liver. The virus is transmitted through blood and bodily fluids. This can occur through direct blood-to-blood contact, unprotected sex, use of contaminated needles, and from an effected mother to her newborn during the delivery process. The majority of people do not have noticeable symptoms when they are first infected with the HBV. People who do not know they are infected with the HBV, their body can respond in different ways. I learned that some of the common symptoms of Hepatitis B infection include fever, fatigue, muscle or joint pain, loss of appetite, mild nausea, vomiting, and dark-colored urine. Some of the serious symptoms that require immediate medical attention and maybe even hospitalization are: severe nausea and vomiting, yellow eyes and skin (jaundice), bloated or swollen stomach.
As chronic viral hepatitis has a high prevalence in patients with HIV, clinicians should assess the risk of development of hepatotoxicity in these patients whenever HAART is initiated.7
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a severe and common virus that has infected ‘more than two billion people alive today at some point in their life.’1 It is a hepadanavirus that interferes with the liver functions as it replicates in the hepatocytes (liver cells) and induces a immune response that is responsible for the inflammation of liver.2 Viruses are not motile, which means that HBV is also sessile and does not form spores. The spherical virion, is called a Dane Particle3 that is 42nm in diameter binds to the surface of hepatocyte.1 The virion itself contains an inner protein core, 27nm thick filled with circular partially double stranded DNA, DNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase.1 It is an enveloped virus, so it also holds an outer lipoprotein envelope4 that is 7nm thick and is comprised of many embedded surface proteins such as surface antigen for viral binding and entry.1 HBV has an average incubation period of three months, which means that it does not start showing symptoms for the first three months that the person is infected and that person can unknowingly infect others.2 ...
HAV is known to be an infectious disease that usually occurs in children and young adults .The disease is usually transmitted from person to person through contaminated food, liquids or oral fecal route. An example would be when someone is carrying the virus and doesn’t wash their hands after using the restroom and then puts food in their mouth. HAV is most common in developing countries because of the living conditions and inadequate water, poor sewage facilities and sanitary conditions. The highest HAV levels in the world are from India,” Earlier reports suggest that India is hyperendemic for HAV infection2,4-6 with very high infection rates,” (Sowmyanarayanan). Most HAV are without severe complications, “Virus HAV infection rarely causes fulminant hepatic failure in people…,” (Vento,p.1) . The symptoms for HAV are high fever, nausea, vomiting and jaundice...
The signs and symptoms of blood borne pathogens vary based on the type of disease it is and the ability of a person’s immune system to fight it off. In most cases hepatitis B does not need to be treated and the body can fight it off on its own. However a long-term infection can develop in some people that can cause liver damage. There is a vaccination available to prevent acquiring the disease. The signs and symptoms for hepatitis C are usually mild. It can take two weeks to six months after contact before signs begin to show, or there may not be any symptoms at all. Hepatitis C typically becomes is a long-term infection and after many years will cause liver ...
Hepatitis A is a virus or an infection that causes liver disease and inflammation of the liver. According to Centers for Disease and Prevention, hepatitis A is a self- limited disease that does not cause a chronic infection and it is rarely fatal. The virus is an infectious disease of the liver which cannot be transmitted by sneezing and coughing. It is usually transmitted from person to person through the feces or the mouth, from consuming contaminated food or water. Many people do not experience any symptoms of hepatitis A, but if someone was to get it, then the symptoms could last from 2 weeks to 6 weeks. The blood is tested to determine how the liver is functioning. The blood is usually taken from the vein in the arm and
Hepatitis A is caused by a virus that infected the liver cells which spread when people eat and drink something contaminated with feces. According to Mayo Clinic, the virus can spread by eating food when someone with the virus does not thoroughly wash their hands after using the restroom, drinking water that has been infected with feces, eating raw shellfish from water polluted with sewage, being in close contact with someone who is infected even if the person has no symptoms, and having sexual partners who have the virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a hep A vaccine is recommended for homosexual men, laboratory workers, people who use illegal drugs, people with chronic liver disease, and people who travel the world. Cases of hepatitis A are not distinct from other types of acute viral hepatitis. According to WHO, specific diagnosis are made by the detection of Hepatitis A Virus (HAV)-specific Immunoglobulin G (IgM) antibodies in the blood. Additional tests include reverse
disease than hepatitis B. While at least half of the patients with acute hepatitis C
Hepatitis In modern society when a person gets sick with the flu or a cold they will usually go about their normal routine with the exception of a sneeze or a cough throughout the day. Sometimes things can be more than what they appear to be. The symptoms start out like the flu with coughing, fever, aches, and vomiting. However, the disease gradually worsens with symptoms of extreme weakness and excruciating abdominal pain. By then it is usually too late when the person finds out that their liver is failing and that there disease is caused by one of the most contagious, dangerous and deadliest of viruses. These viruses that were initially concealed by flu like symptoms are now known collectively as the disease of Hepatitis. The disease of Hepatitis is actually by six different types of viral infections, namely, Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, and G. Hepatitis descries the destructive affect of the viral invasion of the body and liver by six and separate viruses. Each type of viral infection varies from one to another in degree of severity. The names of the viruses are in alphabetical order corresponding to their discovery. There is also a non-viral Hepatitis which is caused by substance. One rumor that has spread about hepatitis is that a person can only contract Hepatitis if associated with HIV or AIDS. This is not true! Any one can become infected with Hepatitis. Unfortunately this is about all most people know of Hepatitis. They need to know the full horror of which the virus is capable. The first of the Hepatitis viral infection to be discovered is Hepatitis A. Hep. A is the mild mannered virus compared to the other viruses. It has the symptoms of influenza, fever, vomiting, loss of appetite, and weakening of body, but it does have some differences such as jaundice (a yellowing pigmentation of the skin and whites of the eyes) and urine appears to be a darker color. Jaundice is caused by an abundance of bilirubon which has not been removed from the blood system due to the infected liver. Hep. A does not have any special medications or antibiotics that can be used to treat or prevent this unpleasant virus. Some ways of avoiding this viral infection include washing the hands very carefully and not eating food or drink of others. People living in the same house or having close contact should clean the area very thoroughly.
Hepatitis B results from cellular injury to the liver, subsequently affecting its metabolic functions. However, the HBV is not cytopathic by itself. The pathogenesis of Hepatitis B occurs as a result of the interactions between the host’s immune system and the virus. The host immune system targets HBV in liver cells (hepatocytes), inadvertently causing damage to the liver. HBV derived proteins (...
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary malignancy of the liver. HCC is now the third foremost cause of cancer deaths. It is a destructive tumour that most commonly occurs in a background of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. The occurrence of HCC is most frequent in Asia and Africa. This can be attributed to the high prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C which strongly influences the development of chronic liver disease and the ensuing development of HCC. It is unfortunately identified very late in the disease progression, and thus has a median survival following diagnosis that ranges from 6 to 20 months1.
Hepatitis A is caused by the Hepatitis A virus (HAV). (Kahn & Higuera, 2017) Consumption of faecal matter, even in minute quantities, Close contact with an infected individual, sexual intercourse with an infected person, and consumption of contaminated food or drink. (Prevention, 2017) Hepatitis B is commonly contracted through contact with infected blood, semen or any form of contact with any form of bodily fluid which is transmitted through sexual intercourse, needle sharing or the sharing of any injection instrument or during childbirth, in this case, transmitted from infected mother to her baby. (“Hepatitis | NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,” 2015) The transmission of hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). It is transmitted through direct
Vitamin C is also a necessary part of the immune system. White blood cells are the body’s defense system against infections. The white blood cells in the human body could not “activate” if vitamin C was not present (Biamonte). The cells would be useless, and a person’s body would be very vulnerable to infection, similar to AIDS. Vitamin C is also used in the lymph glands to form lymphocytes, which neutralize bacteria in the glands. Vitamin C is used in the spleen. It directs the white blood cells where they need to go to fight an infection.