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Hepatitis C: Difference between revisions
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== Treatment and Prevention == | == Treatment and Prevention == | ||
[[Image:example.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Description]] | [[Image:example.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Description]] | ||
Hepatitis C has had major recent advancement in the treatment of the infection. In the past doctors would give shots of interferon (a protein), to help fight the immune system. These shots have a fifty percent success rate. Today there are pills called Sofosbuvir that do not include interferons. These pills are easy to take, and have a ninety percent cure rate. Although all of these factors sound great the price is extremely expensive. Taking one of these pills a day costs over $1000. Some insurances do not want to pay for these pills, but that is a separate discussion. There are also some other ways doctors treat Hepatitis C. Depending on the patient they may require a physical exam, where they check if swelling has occurred in the legs, or they check of changing skin colors. Some doctors might propose a blood test. They may have screenings to check for antibodies in the blood, if your results turn negative you have not had Hepatitis C, while if you are positive you go through another step. This is called an RNA test; these tests shows doctors amount of virus contained in the blood. Genotype test may be taken to discover what type of hepatitis c you are diagnosed with. If you gave chronic hep c more tests will be added on, and finally the patient will receive the proper medicine. | |||
There are some preventative measures we could take to protect ourselves from Hepatitis C. The first is to never share needles. Many drug users share needles, which isn't a safe practice. If ever dealing with blood or sores wear a glove to protect yourself from. Even sharing razors, nail clippers and toothbrushes can be dangerous. Blood can be exposed onto any one of these items, so make sure to use your own. The final preventative measure you can take is to be cautious when getting piercings or tattoos. Be positive the tattoo artist is using sterile needles when giving you a tattoo. These are some simple steps to reducing your chances of receiving Hepatitis C. | |||
== Video == | == Video == | ||
