What is Hepatitis C? (HCV)

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes inflammation, injury, and ultimately scarring of the liver. Current estimates indicate that  4.5 million people living in the United States, and 200 million world wide have hepatitis C. About 85% of all infections develop into chronic infections. If left untreated, there is a high chance of cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. Liver failure due to hepatitis C is now the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States. Although hepatitis C is a serious problem, the infection progresses slowly over years or decades. It sounds frightning, but just remember you're not alone.

Hepatitis C is called the silent epidemic because you can have the virus and not even know it. It’s unusual to have severe symptoms until the end-stages of liver disease, a process that if it occurs, may take decades. So, it’s hard for people to believe they’re infected.

We need to get the word out that hepatitis C is a major public health problem. Many people have no idea they’re carrying the virus, but it’s the most prevalent form of chronic hepatitis in the United States, accounting for 20 to 25 percent of all hepatitis cases.

Found throughout the world, HCV is a small (40 to 60 nm in diameter), enveloped, single, positive-stranded RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae. Because the virus mutates rapidly, changes in the envelope protein may help it evade the immune system. There are at least 6 major genotypes and more than 50 subtypes of HCV. The different genotypes have different geographic distributions. Genotypes 1a and 1b are the most common in the United States. Genotypes 2 and 3 are present in only 20 to 30 percent of patients. There is little difference in the severity of disease or outcome of patieints infected with different genotypes. However, patitients with genotypes 2 and 3 are more likely to respond to alpha interferon treatment.

When you are first diagnosed with Hepatitis C, there are many questions that need to be answered. This "Frequently Asked Questions"  link will help you get your questions answered. This site is perfect for the newly diagnosed!

 

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