| Hepatitis C: Deadly Outcomes |
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An estimated 3% of the world's people carry a virus that silently attacks their livers. Most people infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) have no symptoms at all. In fact, most people don't know they have the disease until liver damage shows up, decades later, during routine medical tests. Chronic Hepatitis C infection over several decades can lead to liver cirrhosis — which is an irreversible scarring of the liver that eventually progresses to liver failure! Cirrhosis increases the risk for liver cancer. The primary mode of transmission of hepatitis C is contaminated blood/ blood products. Other risk factors? IV drug users or if contaminated needles are used in tattooing, body piercing and acupuncture. Snorting of cocaine in a group where one person is infected, is also a well recognized risk factor. Sharing of razors, toothbrushes and nail clippers may also be implicated in transmission of the disease. The risk of babies born to mothers with Hepatitis C acquiring the infection during normal childbirth is about 6%. There is no vaccine available for Hepatitis C. The good news? Hepatitis C can be easily detected by a blood test. But the earlier the better! There are in fact 6 subtypes of the virus. Ask your doctor to do an antibody test for Hepatitis C especially if you think that one of the risk factors applies to you. If the test is positive it needs to be confirmed by a more sensitive PCR test (HCV RNA). Treatment is available and has a much more successful outcome than Hepatitis B treatment. Depending on the subtype of Hepatitis C, the sustained viral clearance rate varies from 55 - 80%. Duration of treatment is anywhere from 6 to 12 months of antiviral therapy. However treatment is expensive. Side-effects of therapy are usually manageable. Ask your doctor for more information. We would also be pleased to assist you at Hanoi Family Medicine Practice with questions on either Hepatitis or liver disease since it is one of our areas of expertise. Dr W. Brian Mc Naull MB ChB MPhiL (Cambridge), DTM&H FRSTM (London) from FMP Hanoi |
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