Hepatitis C overview: Difference between revisions
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==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that causes liver injury. Initially discovered in 1989, HCV was found to be a bloodborne infection that | Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that causes liver injury. Initially discovered in 1989, HCV was found to be a bloodborne infection that tends to persist into a chronic state in the majority of cases. Although the exact pathogenesis and life cycle of HCV are poorly understood, it has been demonstrated that impaired innate and adaptive immunity to acute HCV may contribute to the development of chronic infection. While the transfusion of blood and blood products along with injectable therapy were considered the most common risk factors for HCV in the past, the use of injectable illicit drugs is currently the most important risk factor. In the absence of treatment, chronic HCV leads to liver cirrhosis several years after the initial infection, a course complicated by decompensated liver failure or hepatocellular carcinoma. Other extra-hepatic manifestations are also common. Specific patient populations should be screened for HCV first using HCV serological testing, or rarely directly by HCV RNA in patients who have had previous HCV exposure, treatment-induced clearance, or immunosuppression. The diagnosis is made when anti-HCV and HCV RNA both demonstrate positive results. Measures to slow the progression of liver disease, such as vaccines against other diseases and awareness against the use of alcohol or drugs that injure the liver should be taken following diagnosis. Classically, interferon (IFN) therapy was used to treat HCV, followed by the use of ribavirin. More recently, protease inhibitors emerged as effective drugs of choice for HCV infection. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 07:00, 28 July 2014
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Hepatitis C |
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Diagnosis |
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Treatment |
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Hepatitis C overview On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Hepatitis C overview |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Yazan Daaboul; Serge Korjian
Overview
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that causes liver injury. Initially discovered in 1989, HCV was found to be a bloodborne infection that tends to persist into a chronic state in the majority of cases. Although the exact pathogenesis and life cycle of HCV are poorly understood, it has been demonstrated that impaired innate and adaptive immunity to acute HCV may contribute to the development of chronic infection. While the transfusion of blood and blood products along with injectable therapy were considered the most common risk factors for HCV in the past, the use of injectable illicit drugs is currently the most important risk factor. In the absence of treatment, chronic HCV leads to liver cirrhosis several years after the initial infection, a course complicated by decompensated liver failure or hepatocellular carcinoma. Other extra-hepatic manifestations are also common. Specific patient populations should be screened for HCV first using HCV serological testing, or rarely directly by HCV RNA in patients who have had previous HCV exposure, treatment-induced clearance, or immunosuppression. The diagnosis is made when anti-HCV and HCV RNA both demonstrate positive results. Measures to slow the progression of liver disease, such as vaccines against other diseases and awareness against the use of alcohol or drugs that injure the liver should be taken following diagnosis. Classically, interferon (IFN) therapy was used to treat HCV, followed by the use of ribavirin. More recently, protease inhibitors emerged as effective drugs of choice for HCV infection.