Hepatitis C: Transmission and Treatment

Hepatitis C is one of the most common viral diseases in the world. Symptoms do not appear immediately, they are not obvious, so the diagnosis of the disease is usually difficult. In this case, the majority of infected hepatitis C passes into a chronic form, which often leads to cirrhosis of the liver. It is important to know how hepatitis C is transmitted, it is easier to defend against it than to spend a lot of money and time on treatment.

• Hepatitis C: what is it?
• How is it passed from person to person?
• How is hepatitis C not transmitted?
• The incubation period
• Than dangerous
• Symptoms
• Treatment of the disease

Hepatitis C: what is it?

The hepatitis virus affects the workable part of the population, the majority of those affected are people aged 18 to 40 years. The main consequence of infection with the infection is cirrhosis of the liver, chronic hepatitis is the most common cause of liver transplant.

The main problem with this type of hepatitis is that the statistics of the disease and identify the virus as a whole began quite recently. It's hard to say whether the incidence rate is really growing, how often the virus used to be.

After entering the body, the virus with blood flow reaches the liver, penetrates into its cells and begins to multiply, damaging the tissues of the organ and disrupting its normal functioning. Also, the cells - the lymphocytes sent by the organism in response to the virus - begin to have a negative effect on the liver.

It is impossible to completely protect yourself from infection, but knowing about the main ways of transmission of the virus, you can reduce the likelihood of hepatitis C Often, infection occurs precisely because of ignorance.

How is it passed from person to person?

To get the virus into the body and begin to develop, blood particles of a person infected with hepatitis C should get into the bloodstream of a healthy person. After infection, the rate of development of the virus, the body's reaction to its appearance depends on the state of human immunity.

Therefore, you can get infected wherever there is a chance of damage to the mucous membrane and its contact with non-sterile instruments. The risk of infection directly from a person is extremely small, since situations in which people come into contact with injuries or other injuries on the skin are too rare.

Thus, most people risk getting infected in beauty salons during manicure, pedicure, getting a tattoo, tattoo or piercing. Also, an increased risk exists when you visit a dentist. In addition, at-risk groups for hepatitis and other similar infections include:

1. People with drug dependence who take injecting drugs. In the vast majority of cases, taking drugs occurs in conditions of unsanitary conditions, syringes are used several times, it is possible that a single syringe can be used by a group of people, which is unacceptable from the point of view of hygiene.
2. Do doctors "first aid", other professionals who are forced to contact with blood and other human body fluids.
3. People who are in prison. Often in the colonies there are no conditions for maintaining the proper level of personal hygiene, many people are constantly in contact with each other, so that any infections spread very easily and quickly.
4. People who received blood transfusion before 1992. Only after this moment, the blood was checked for the presence of a causative agent of hepatitis C.
5. With a banal lack of proper level of personal hygiene, when using other hygiene means: toothbrushes, manicure accessories, razors, cosmetics.

Important!It happens that it is almost impossible to know the exact source of infection by the infection because of the long enough incubation period.

Accidental infections directly from a person through damage to the skin and mucous slightly affect the statistics. The probability of getting infected is quite small, most often the hepatitis C virus passes from non-sterile instruments with medical and cosmetic manipulations.

How is hepatitis C not transmitted?

There are many misconceptions about how the hepatitis C virus is transmitted. Often you can find a false opinion that you can get infected if you eat from one dish with a sick person or hold hands. It is worth considering the main cases of errors, because stereotypes are harmful to people who are already sick with hepatitis, and those who are afraid of getting sick.

Is hepatitis C transmitted through the saliva

The saliva contains a small amount of the virus, but they are too small for infection. Hepatitis C is not transmitted through a kiss, if people have no damage to the mucosa in the mouth.

However, care should be taken, there is a chance of getting infected if there are any, even minor injuries to the mucosa, dental and gum disease, which cause bleeding.

Is Mother-to-Child Transmitted

During gestation the child is completely protected from hepatitis, a barrier created by the placenta, sufficiently reliable for this. The risk of transmission of the disease to a child increases during childbirth, especially if during the birth process the baby's skin is injured, contact with the mother's blood occurs.

Therefore, the process of labor in a mother with hepatitis C should be as cautious as possible so as not to transmit the disease to the child. When breastfeeding, you should also be careful, if you have any nipple injuries, you need to stop breastfeeding.

Important!From the father the virus is not transmitted, the main condition for the conception of a healthy child is the health of the mother.

Is sexually transmitted

The probability of sexually transmitted infection is low, but it is. When dealing with a person who has hepatitis C, you should use protective equipment. The most reliable against sexually transmitted viruses is a condom.

It is also worth noting that the probability of infection increases with frequent changes in sexual partners, if the person neglects the use of contraception.

In what cases is hepatitis C not exactly transmitted?

Contrary to all misconceptions, hepatitis C is not transmitted by the household way, when using one with a sick person dishes, other household items. The disease is not transmitted by airborne droplets, so do not be afraid of a cough and a cold. You can also cuddle and shake hands without any restrictions, the main thing is to avoid contact with open wounds and other bleeding lesions of the skin and mucous membrane.

If the blood of an infected person falls on any object or clothing, they should be disinfected. Objects can be cleaned with any antiseptic, preferably first wash them. Clothing should be washed for half an hour at a temperature of 60 degrees or several minutes in boiling water. In general, the lower the temperature, the longer the washing time should be.

The incubation period

The incubation or latent period, when the infection does not manifest itself in any way and so far does not attack the organs, with hepatitis C lasts from several weeks to six months. Because of this it can be difficult to establish what caused the infection.

It should be noted that the duration of the incubation period depends on the state of immunity of the patient as a whole. The weaker the immunity, the faster the disease will develop.

Than dangerous

The main danger of this disease is the absence of noticeable symptoms in the acute stage, after which it passes into a chronic form. Often, the disease is detected when the patient is already developing cirrhosis of the liver, in this case, it can be too late to save a person. In the first ten years after infection, up to half of all patients die.

In addition, liver disorders caused by hepatitis often lead to diseases of other organs of the digestive tract. If hepatitis C occurs concomitantly with group B hepatitis, the likelihood of developing liver cancer increases.

There may also be abnormalities on the part of the immune system. Because of hepatitis, the body begins to struggle with its own tissues, so that various autoimmune diseases can develop.

Symptoms

Since the disease mainly occurs without any special symptoms, it is often detected at a late stage, in most cases almost by accident. Therefore, people at risk of infection with the hepatitis C virus are advised to periodically take tests to identify the disease.

Before the discovery of the disease can take years or even decades, it all depends on the vastness of the infection and the state of the human body as a whole. Periodically, the patient may be disturbed by severe fatigue, symptoms of intoxication, which are easily written off to digestive disorders. Sometimes jaundice occurs.

Usually hepatitis C is indicated by a high ALT, for a given disease it can be increased 10 times. If there are no other causes for this indicator, there is an occasion to contact a doctor - a hepatologist.

Treatment of the disease

To treat hepatitis C follows a doctor - hepatologist, before the appointment of therapy should undergo a complete examination, which allows to identify the level of the virus, diseases that developed against its background. An enzyme immunoassay, a PCR test, an ultrasound of the liver and other organs of the gastrointestinal tract is performed. To avoid false results, some of the analyzes are repeated several times.

Treatment of chronic hepatitis C is usually prolonged, it can last several years. In each case, the therapy plan is chosen individually, it all depends on the features of the course of the disease and the organism of the individual patient. Usually therapy consists of the following elements:

1. Antiviral therapy. This is the main part of treatment, usually use interferon-alpha and ribavirin, in some cases they can be used separately. Therapy should be under full control of the doctor, self-medication can be dangerous for life and health.
2. To improve liver function, hepatoprotectors are used, they do not affect the virus, but help the body recover after the disease.
3. Immunomodulators are prescribed to improve the body's resistance to infection in some cases.

Self-treatment with hepatitis is unacceptable. Not always a positive result is obtained from the first time, sometimes it is necessary to conduct repeated courses of treatment. It is necessary to prepare for the fact that the treatment can take a long time.

Also worth noting that the main drugs used in hepatitis, there are many contraindications and possible side effects. Before the start of treatment, a complete examination is absolutely necessary, during the therapy it is necessary to constantly monitor the blood composition and other parameters.

For the treatment of hepatitis C to be successful, it is required to observe a special diet that relieves the load from the liver and the gastrointestinal tract as a whole. It completely excludes any alcohol, diet No. 5 is prescribed with a limited amount of fats and foods that stimulate the production of digestive juices. These products include salty foods, spicy, fried, canned.

In general, it is not necessary to significantly change the way of life. Sports can be practiced in moderate amounts, if there are no other contraindications. When there are any diseases against hepatitis C, you need to consult your doctor about the appointment of therapy.

To date, when the treatment started on time, the prognosis for hepatitis is favorable. It is worth remembering that much in the treatment of this disease depends on the efforts of the patient himself, a responsible approach to therapy.