Hepatitis C: Difference between revisions

Hepatitis C often have minor symptoms when first infected; this is why some refer to the infection as "silent". About half of the people that half Hepatitis C do not know they have it because of the few symptoms. The first step of Hep C is called the acute phase. This phase has symptoms that appear one to three months after first being infected by the [[disease]]. Some of those symptoms include dark colored urine, felling tired, muscle and joint pain, nausea and many more. <ref name= clinic/> Some people infected by Hepatitis C have it cleared from their body after the acute phase People go through a process known as the spontaneous viral clearance. Studies have shown wide variety between people cleared and uncleared. Some statistics show around fourteen to fifty percent of the infected have been cleared by spontaneous viral clearance. Having Long term Hepatitis C or better known as Chronic Hepatitis C is the result of people not know they are infected for many years. When the liver is damaged from years of the infection many symptoms starts showing up, which is why screening for Hepatitis C is very important. Some signs include bleeding easily, poor appetite, swelling of the leg, Jaundice and many more. [[Jaundice]] is arguably the most common symptom of Hepatitis C, because it occurs both in acute phase and chronic phase. [[Jaundice]] is a condition that causes yellow eyes and skin, which is seen on the image. Dangerous results of Chronic Hepatitis C can lead to liver cancer. <ref name= clinic> Mayo [https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hepatitis-c/symptoms-causes/syc-20354278 Hepatitis C] ''Mayo Clinic''. no author. Mayo Clinic. March 6, 2018.(Date of Publication.)</ref>

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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, and there has been lawsuits, 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 have Chronic Hepatitis C more tests will be added on, and finally the patient will receive the proper medicine.

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