My uncle was not the only person to become infected with the hepatitis C virus, but in fact many people are presently struggling to keep it under control. Today four million Americans are infected with the hepatitis C virus and there are thirty thousand new cases of this virus found each year (Turkington 9). Hepatitis C takes ten thousand lives each year just in the United States, and without effective treatment the death rate is expected to triple in the next fifteen years (Turkington 9). Seventy-five percent of those infected with the virus will develop chronic hepatitis and half of those people will develop cirrhosis of the liver (Turkington 9). The hepatitis C virus is sometimes referred to as the “Hidden Epidemic” because an estimated four million people are infected with it and symptoms may not show until twenty years later (Grady). It is also the leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States (Bushie). This virus affects so many people and we should all learn and study more about it to hasten its spread.
Hepatitis is a rather new virus to the science world, but it has been around for a very long time. Before scientists knew about hepatitis C, they had discovered A and B types, so when they found C they called it non-A non-B (Turkington 5). The virus was discovered in 1987, but not until after 1990 was blood tested for hepatitis, causing many people to receive and contract the virus (Turkington 5). Hepatitis is thought to have originated in the Far East because of the diversity and number of people infected in that location (Turkington 6). Strains of hepatitis are found in Thailand, which has led researchers to believe it mutated in Asia to form all its genotypes (Turkington 6). There are five types of the hepatitis virus and they are A, B, C, D, and E (Hoofnagle). Hepatitis C is caused by a single-stranded virus with a core of ribonucleic acid (Turkington 10). Hepatitis C has so many genotypes that the virus cannot be detected by the immune system (Turkington 11). It has six separate genotypes and each genotype has three to four subtypes (Turkington 11). Every genotype of the virus is restricted to different regions of the world (Turkington 11). The most common genotypes of hepatitis C in North America are the 1a and 1b genotypes (Turkington 11). The genotype 1b is the most severe form of the hepatitis C virus because it is the most ag...
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Grady, Denise. “Hepatitis C: How Widespread a Threat?” New York Times 15 December 1998: F1. New York Times Ondisk. CD-ROM. UMI-ProQuest. 1998-2001.
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Turkington, Carol. Hepatitis C: The Silent Killer. Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1998.
research on Hepatitis C for recognition targeted towards technical publications as JAMA, New England Journal Of Medicine etc. Hepatitis C (HCV) causes inflammation of the liver and can cause liver damage leading to cirrhosis. Occasionally, liver cancer may develop. First called non-A non-B hepatitis, hepatitis C was discovered in the early 1970’s, but it wasn’t until 1989 that testing for specific antibodies to the virus began. Each year, 15,000 Americans contract hepatitis C, which is a more
Sofosbuvir: a safe and effective option for chronic hepatitis C Introduction Hepatitis C is a global burden that gives rise to serious liver complications. Thus, it is very crucial to eradicate this disease. Since there is no vaccine, drugs combinations become important elements in treating hepatitis C globally. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is previously dealt with using combinations of drugs such as pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RVB). These drugs are dependent on several factors such
HEPATITIS C There is a disease spreading out in the world called Hepatitis C. It affects the liver and may cause the liver to fail. This disease is caused by a virus called Hepatitis C virus which is also known as HCV. About 32,000 people are affected with this disease per year only in the United States area. Some It’s a disease with many symptoms and many causes. of these symptoms are easy bruising, upset stomach and fever. These are just some of the many symptoms that come from the virus. Hepatitis
infected with the hepatitis C virus, and more than 350 000 people die every year from hepatitis C-related liver diseases.1 Hepatitis C can lead to other serious diseases, such as liver failure, death, etc. But without any vaccines available to prevent the contraction of the disease, it may be hard to avoid. Due to disease generally being asymptomatic many people are unaware that they have it, further spreading the disease because of a lack of prevention mechanisms. Hepatitis C when developed chronically
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. There are currently five known viruses that cause can hepatitis (Microbiology, 10e). The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is transmitted through contact with the blood of an infected person; however, it is now more commonly spread among IV drug users that share needles. Healthcare workers are also at risk for contracting HCV, but with standard precautions, the risk is low. “Prior to 1992, some people acquired the HCV infection from transfusions of blood or blood products
Reflective Journal of Improvement and Outcomes of Hepatitis C Therapy The purpose of this reflective journal is to determine the educational needs that the clinic needs in order to have 100 percent compliance with Hepatitis C (HCV) treatment. HCV is currently affecting millions of individuals who have no idea they have the disease. With a multi-disciplinary team who is dedicated to their jobs and successful in monitoring patients currently on treatment, the relapse rate is minimal and medication
failure and what the patient can do to ensure continued health. Hepatitis C is spread through the transmission of tainted blood, through blood transfusions with infected blood, sharing of infected needles, hemodialysis, and unsafe sex. Other methods of infection include and any means where blood to blood crossing occurs such as sharing swabs or spoons. (Lewis et al, 2010, p.1166). The easiest way to prevent the spread of hepatitis C is to know who is infected and take all precautions necessary to
Malaria is a common disease in a hot tropical area and it affects about 300 million people worldwide. There are four types of parasites that cause malaria in humans. Among the types of species Plasmodium falciparum is most common in Africa region and it can cause deadly form of disease. The Plasmodium vivax which is the second type of species is not life-threatening form of malaria. Plasmodium ovale also causes malaria. The system malaria affect most is the immune system. Malaria undergoes a complex
management to help organize the support and services that is necessary for the patient and/or their family. In the case of Henry, he was diagnosed with hepatitis C and cirrhosis in which it impacted various aspects of his and his family’s life. Hepatitis C is an infection that can be transmitted through blood and cirrhosis is the final stage of hepatitis C in which the liver is not functional. As a result, there are limited options for Henry because of the severity of his illness; thus, a case manager
herbal remedies raises some doubt and concern. However, it is important to consider the effectiveness of herbal remedies that are derived from the natural sources surrounding us. Although in past eras chronic illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, hepatitis and cancer either didn’t exist or were not properly identified, it is necessary to analyze whether traditional medicines and herbs can be effective in treating these serious diseases today. This will be the focus of the discussions in this paper
Needle and syringe programs (NSP) are aimed at intravenous drug users, so as to prevent and limit blood borne diseases like HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. These NSP programs help drug addicts by supplying needles and also through referrals and provide education among other services. All these efforts are made to control the spread of blood borne diseases like Hepatitis and AIDS in Australian population with 872 Blood Borne viruses reported 4th quarter 2013(Quarterly Surveillance Report Notifiable Sexually
conditions of getting a tattoo tend to go unnoticed by teenagers. The increase popularity in body art has also caused an increase in the incidences of Hepatitis, especially Hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is spread by contact with human blood. Since, the government regulation has not enforced hygiene requirements for tattoo parlors, disease such as Hepatitis C thrive in these environments. Another disease that can be acquired is HIV. The government does not force tattoo parlors to use new needles or to sanitize
There are many different causes of liver damage. These can be grouped into various categories depending on the timing of the insult and the types of cells most severely affected. As the nature of injury often dictates patient outcome, these patterns of injury have important clinical implications. Acute versus chronic: Acute liver injury is a common clinical problem. In the most severe cases, acute injury results in overwhelming hepatocyte loss, a clinical condition known as acute liver failure. More
Celentano, D.D. (2009). Risks for HIV, HBV, and HCV infections among male injection drug users in northern Vietnam: a case-control study. AIDS Care, 21(1), 7-16. Semaan, S., Fleming, P., Worrell, C., Stolp, H., Baack, B., & Miller, M. (2011). Potential role of safer injection facilities in reducing HIV and Hepatitis C infections and overdose mortality in the United States. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 118, 100-110.
programs have been successful, they have had some criticism. One of the main goals in the needle exchange program is to prevent or to reduce the rate of transmission of any infectious diseases, such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis C by distributing sterile syringes. The intended group that this program is trying to focus on is injecting drug users, since they have a high rate of either repeatedly using a contaminated syringe or sharing the same syringe with others. These programs