Hepatitis C

Hepatitis is a liver infection. It is caused by the Hepatitis C virus which is a

blood-borne virus. It is a short term illness but it can be asymptomatic until
decades after the infection. Chronic Hepatitis C is a serious disease that can
result in long term health problems and even death.

Structure
 Its genome is positive-sense single-stranded RNA.
 consists of lipid membrane envelope which is 55-65 nm in diameter
 two viral envelope glycoproteins, E1 and E2 are embedded in the lipid
envelope
 within the envelope, the icosahedral core is present which is 33-40
nm in diameter
 inside the core RNA is present

Mode of infection
 sharing of injection
 blood transfusion from an infected person
 unsafe sex
 infected mother to child
 doesn’t spread from breast milk, food, water, and casual contact
Risk group
 drug users
 people with tattoos
 prisoners or people in closed settings
 child whose mother is infected
 people with a sexual partner infected with HCV
 Symptoms
The incubation period ranges from 2 weeks to 6 months. About 80 % of
people are asymptomatic. Acutely symptomatic may exhibit
 fever
 fatigue
 decreased appetite
 nausea
 vomiting
 abdominal pain
 dark urine
 grey-colored feces
 joint pain
 jaundice

Treatment
 Currently, the vaccine is not available though various research are going on
for its formulation
 Chronic HCV is treated with the combination of drugs
 WHO’s updated 2018 guidelines recommend therapy with pan-genotypic
direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). DAAs can cure most persons with HCV
infection, and treatment duration is short (usually 12 to 24 weeks),
depending on the absence or presence of cirrhosis.
 https://www.cdc.gov › hepatitis › hcv › cfaq
 https://dgrc.com.np/hepatitis-C/
 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-C