Wed Jun 19, 2013
UCLA Asian Liver Program Research and Education: David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLAPatient Care: UCLA Health
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Asian Liver Disease / Hepatitis C

DEFINITION

Hepatitis C is an inflammation (damage and swelling) of the liver that is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

MODES OF INFECTION

The hepatitis C virus spreads through the blood and other body fluids.  Infection from one person to another can occur by:

  • Shared needles during drug use
  • Transfusion with blood or blood products
  • Unsafe sex with an infected person
  • Contact with blood in a healthcare setting

TYPES OF HEPATITIS C INFECTION

Acute hepatitis C
The time from first infection to symptoms of acute hepatitis C is 1-6 months.  Early symptoms are similar to those of acute hepatitis B.

Chronic hepatitic C 
In patients acutely affected with HCV, up to 85% of adults will develop chronic hepatitis C, which is defined as persistent viral production by liver cells and may last a lifetime.  Patients with chronic hepatitis C may gradually progress to worsening liver damgage, i.e. cirrhosis, and may develop primary liver cancer.  In the United States, hepatitis C is the main cause of liver cancer and the main reason for liver transplantation.

DIAGNOSIS 

The diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C is by simple blood tests.

  • Anti-body to the heaptitis C virus (anti-HCV) tell you that you are infected by hepatitis C
  • HCV-RNA ( hepatitis C virus ribnuceleic acid ) tell you that the virus is ciruclating in the blood,  The "titer" of HCV RNA tell you the amount of the virus that is circulating in your blood.  During treatment for hepatitis C, the "titer" of virus in the blood may be lowered or even turn to negative

Liver-function tests  

  • As in hepatitis B, an increase in the AST and ALT levels tells you the liver has inflammation
  • A low albumin level tells you that the liver cells are not adequately making enough proteins
  • A high bilirubin leve tells you that the liver cells are not adequately detoxifying waste products by the body

TREATMENT

Acute hepatitis C is seldom diagnosed since most patients have no syptoms and will not seek medical attention.  Anitviral treatment at this time may decrease the chronic progression to chronic hepatitis C.  Therefore, if a person feels that he/she has been exposed to hepatitis C, seek immediate attention so that appropriate blood tests can be performed. 

Hepatitis C is the most-common cause of chronic hepatitis in the United States.  Many patients who have contracted hepatitis C in the past may not even know that they are carrying this virus. However, because of continual damage to liver cells, a person may have gradual onset of fatigue and loss of appetite.  These symptoms should prompt the patient to seek immediate medical attention.  If the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C is made, there are anti-viral therapies such as interferon, which is an injectable medication, and ribavirin, an oral medication.  When the medicines are used in combination, they are effective in killing the hepatitis C virus in many patients.  If necessary, liver transplantation is used to treat the end-stage liver diseases caused by the chronic hepatitis C infection.