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Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that primarily affects the liver; [2] it is a type of viral hepatitis. [6] During the initial infection period, people often have mild or no symptoms. [1] Early symptoms can include fever, dark urine, abdominal pain, and yellow tinged skin. [1]
Hepatitis C is spread primarily by blood-to-blood contact, associated with intravenous drug use, poorly sterilized medical equipment, needlestick injuries in healthcare, and transfusions. [2] [4] It may also be spread from an infected mother, to her baby during birth.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection is a multi-faceted, chronic condition that significantly impacts public health.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 2 to 15% of those infected with HIV are also affected by HCV, increasing their risk of morbidity and mortality due to accelerated liver disease.
Experts estimate that about 2.4 million people in the United States are living with hepatitis C—but that figure could be even higher because reported cases of Hepatitis C are on the rise.
In a nutshell, “hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver, causing inflammation and scarring of the organ,” says K. V. Narayanan Menon, MD, the medical director of liver transplantation at ...
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) [3] is a small (55–65 nm in size), enveloped, positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae. The hepatitis C virus is the cause of hepatitis C and some cancers such as liver cancer ( hepatocellular carcinoma , abbreviated HCC) and lymphomas in humans.
The transmission of hepatitis C is through the contact with the blood of the infected person, for example by sharing the needles or by using non-sterile medical equipment. [2] HCV is transmitted globally because of the high infection rate and is also associated with a high mortality rate. [3] [4] The World Health Organization indicates the 3.3% ...
A hepatitis C vaccine, a vaccine capable of protecting against the hepatitis C virus (HCV), is not yet available. Although vaccines exist for hepatitis A and hepatitis B, development of an HCV vaccine has presented challenges. [1] No vaccine is currently available, but several vaccines are currently under development. [2] [3]