Hepatitis different drugs with different mechanisms have
Hepatitis C is a disease discovered in 1989 that is still incompletely understood. Scientists at CDC, NIH and industry discovered this disease. Hepatitis C is caused by the Hep C virus which infects the liver. The first FDA approved treatment for Hep C was in 1991. 2014 marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the discovery of Hep C. Most people who are at risk of contracting Hepatitis C are involved in blood to blood contact. Injecting drug users, infants born to infected mothers, health care workers who might come in contact with blood, anyone who has sexual relations with an infected person, recipients of blood transfusions, and hemodialysis patients.
It is suggested that anyone in the generation known as “Baby Boomers” get tested because they are a greatest risk. Within the first six months, the acute phase, most people won’t experience any symptoms. When symptoms do appear, the most common are: Dark-colored urine, light-colored stools, diarrhea, nausea, tiredness, pain in the abdominal area, and loss of appetite. Fever is also a common symptom. Symptoms during the chronic phase include: Accumulation of fluid and swelling in the abdomen, vein pattern shaped like a star developing on swollen stomach, easy bleeding or bruising, and itching. Jaundice is a symptom during both phases.
An illness with symptoms most common to Hep C is food poisoning. Tests for anti HCV antibodies, or anti-HCV, CIA, EIA, and other tests used to screen the blood for the virus are used to diagnose the disease. These tests can confirm the disease since the disease occurs in the blood. Different types of therapy were originally used to treat both chronic and acute Hep C. More recently, different drugs with different mechanisms have been used more for treating Hep C. These drugs are known as antiviral drugs. You can help yourself by avoiding alcohol.
If the disease is very chronic, liver surgery might become necessary. Hep C can be prevented by not injecting drugs (who knew drugs were bad?), don’t share personal care items such as razors or toothbrushes, think about the risks before getting a tattoo, body piercing, or acupuncture, be smart if having sex with more than one partner, and if you’re in health care, follow universal rules for blood and body fluids. IDSA, AASLD, in collaboration with IAS-USA have developed new therapies and recommendations based on evidence.
