Infection happens through contact with the blood of an HCV carrier. Prospective situations threatening infection are clinical and non-medical treatments, e.g. piercing, tattooing. As a result of the limited and indefinite symptoms, individuals infected with HCV might not know their illness for a long time.
HCV is responsible for the advancement of hepatitis C infection. Until now, no effective injection against HCV has been developed. The medical diagnosis of HCV infection is made on the basis of serological tests. In recent years, less than 1% of the Polish population has been detected with anti-HCV antibodies – ELPA. Therapy is based mainly on pharmacotherapy, where mostly interferon and also ribavirin are made use of, and also over the last few years additionally interferon-free therapy.
HCV – what is it?
HCV is the acronym of the English name Hepatitis C virus, which means liver disease C virus. HCV is a single-stranded RNA infection bordered by a sheath. The HCV infection was identified in 1989 by a team of scientists led by Michael Houghton, Harvey Alter and Charles Rice. In 2020, these scientists obtained the Nobel Prize for their success.
How can you become contaminated with HCV?
HCV infection occurs as a result of damaging the connection of the cells of a vulnerable person and also contact with the blood or body fluids of the contaminated person contaminated with it. Situations potentially bring about HCV infection consist of medical procedures, such as surgical procedure, mole removal, blood collection and also transfusion, oral procedures, dialysis, injections. There is a risk of perinatal mother-to-child transmission of HCV. Infants birthed to HCV-infected mommies should be regularly evaluated for HCV infection.
Non-medical procedures are also a feasible resource of HCV infection, such as:
- making a tattoo,
- cosmetic treatments (manicure, pedicure),.
- hairdressing therapies (injury with scissors, razor),.
- piercings,.
- acupuncture.
There is a danger of HCV infection from needle sticks and various other non-sterile stuff when administering drugs or various other materials. A possibly hazardous situation that threatens HCV infection is dealing with and call sporting activities, where injuries might happen
Furthermore, HCV infection is at threat of: using the same cosmetic accessories with other individuals, dealing with transmittable material, individuals experiencing HCV liver disease,.
providing emergency treatment without observing safety and security policies.
What disease does HCV infection trigger?
HCV triggers severe as well as chronic liver disease. The majority of infected people are not familiar with their condition as a result of the oligosymptomatic program of persistent liver disease C, which is far more common than the severe type. 75– 85% of infected people create persistent liver disease.
Intense hepatitis C. Frequently it has a moderate training course. Feasible signs include: fatigue, loss of appetite, fat burning, queasiness, muscle mass and joint discomfort. Jaundice might create.
Persistent Liver Disease C. It is often identified accidentally or at the stage of late complications. If the patient already reveals signs of hepatitis C, they include: fatigability, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, muscle mass and also joint discomfort, jaundice. The infection can look like influenza, cold, food poisoning as well as be ignored by the sick person. With time, the liver might end up being bigger. Extreme consequences can be cirrhosis as well as liver cancer cells.
What examination detects HCV?
To detect HCV infection, a serological examination should initially be carried out. This test can be executed by yourself – independently or at no cost on the basis of a reference issued by a transmittable illness doctor. If there is suspicion of HCV during pregnancy, referral may come from a gynecologist. The referral in the recognition field must include the V48 designation, which in the International Category of Conditions and also Illness ICD-10 means HCV antibodies.
The examination product is blood. The examination is composed in the qualitative determination of anti-HCV antibodies in the blood (details for hepatitis C virus antigens). Results are normally readily available within 1-3 days. The evaluation does not need any special preparation. You do not even have to be fasting. Anti-HCV antibodies are discovered around 3 months after infection.
If the examination person has actually not had contact with the HCV virus, the examination outcome ought to be negative. The low favorable anti-HCV examination outcome should be confirmed. For this purpose, a molecular test is executed to verify or exclude the presence of the viral RNA hereditary product in the blood.
HCV RNA is discovered as early as 1– 3 weeks after infection. In the case of favorable results in the test for anti-HCV antibodies, additionally diagnostics are necessary, since favorable HCV shows contact with the infection, and does not allow to distinguish between the duration of the infection or its nature – severe and persistent.