What kind of existence is hepatitis C?
Is hepatitis C contagious?
What should I do if I have hepatitis C?
……
Put away your 100,000 whys first
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▶ What is hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C and hepatitis C is a viral hepatitis caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, which can lead to chronic inflammation, necrosis and fibrosis of the liver, and some patients can develop cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma.
People of all genders, ages and ethnicities can be infected with hepatitis C.
Image source: The Paper
▶ What are the main ways of transmission of hepatitis C?
1. Spread through broken skin and mucous membranes
Broken skin or mucous membranes come into contact with each other;
sharing razors and toothbrushes;
sharing other invasive procedures such as pedicures, tattoos, earrings, and piercing utensils that have not been strictly disinfected;
sharing syringes and needles;
Sharing dental instruments, endoscopes, other invasive medical procedures, etc., that have not been strictly sterilized.
2. Mother-to-child transmission
Pregnant women infected with hepatitis C have about 2%~7% probability of transmission to newborns, and pregnant women co-infected with HIV have a higher probability of transmission to newborns.
3. Transmitted through sexual contact
Sexual activity with a person infected with hepatitis C;
Having multiple sexual partners, having sex with men who have sex with men and having sex with someone living with HIV are all at risk of contracting hepatitis C.
4. Receiving a hepatitis C positive organ transplant
Receiving blood products, organ transplants, etc. from people infected with hepatitis C.
Image source: Mianyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention official website
Hepatitis C is generally not transmitted through daily contact such as hugging, sneezing, coughing, eating, drinking, sharing utensils and cups, and not having broken skin and other blood exposure.
▶ What about high-risk behaviors for infection?
Testing and observation are required!!
Tips
After accidental exposure to hepatitis C (taking needlestick injury as an example), gently squeeze the blood from the wound, immediately rinse with running water for 10 minutes, disinfect and bandage iodophor, and measure the peripheral blood for hepatitis C antibody and hepatitis C virus RNA in a timely manner.
If the peripheral blood is negative for hepatitis C antibody and hepatitis C virus RNA, the hepatitis C virus RNA is tested again after 1 week and 2 weeks, and if the hepatitis C virus RNA is still negative, infection can be ruled out;
If hepatitis C virus RNA is positive after 1 or 2 weeks, spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C can be observed for another 12 weeks, and if spontaneous clearance is not possible and HCV RNA remains positive, antiviral therapy should be initiated.
▶ What happens if you get hepatitis C?
1. Self-healing or cure;
2. Conversion to chronic hepatitis C;
3. Progression to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.
Image source: Researchgate
▶ How can I tell if I'm at risk of hepatitis C?
Epidemiological history: high-risk behaviour for infection within 6 months (see "Main routes of transmission of hepatitis C")
Symptoms: (1) Most patients have no obvious symptoms. (2) There may be low-grade fever, malaise, jaundice, loss of appetite, nausea, pain in the liver area, hepatosplenomegaly, etc.
Blood draw: After a positive anti-HCV test, a positive test for HCV RNA or HCV core antigen is further tested. (Patients with acute hepatitis C may be anti-HCV negative because they are in the window period)
If you have a clear epidemiological history or obvious symptoms, please go to the Department of Hepatology of our hospital for "anti-HCV test" and "HCV RNA test", and if necessary, "liver histopathological examination and HCV gene test".
▶ What should I do if I find out I have hepatitis C?
Seek medical attention in a timely manner and standardize treatment!!
All patients who are positive for HCV RNA (the more accurate the test is), should receive antiviral therapy. You can go to the Department of Hepatology of our hospital for systematic antiviral treatment, and do not take medication for treatment.
Pregnancy is prohibited during antiviral therapy in female patients, and antiviral therapy is given to pregnant women after the end of labor and lactation.
Other tests are needed to assess the severity of liver disease, renal function, hepatitis C virus quantification, other comorbidities, and concomitant medications prior to antiviral therapy.
Genetic testing for HCV is indicated as necessary (genotype testing in areas with a genotype subtype prevalence of >5% or in patients treated with genotype-specific DAAs).
★ Treatment is completed 12 weeks after the end of treatment when HCV RNA is not detectable in serum or plasma. People at risk of reinfection need to be tested regularly for HCV RNA.
Image source: The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University
▶ How can I prevent hepatitis C in my life?
Currently, there is no effective prophylactic hepatitis C vaccine available.
Prevention of hepatitis C is mainly carried out by the following measures:
1. Regular health check-ups, and consciously and actively screen for anti-HCV.
2. Prevention of iatrogenic and broken skin and mucosal transmission: refusal of drugs; Avoid sharing personal items such as razors and toothbrushes that may come into contact with blood; Going to a formal facility for invasive procedures such as medical treatment or tattooing; Avoid unnecessary blood transfusions and use of blood products.
3. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission: Hepatitis C patients in women of childbearing age should be treated first before becoming pregnant.
4. Prevention of sexual transmission: Adolescents should be properly educated about sexuality. People with hepatitis C infection should use condoms. Maintain a fixed single sexual partner, have multiple sexual partners, have sex with men, and have HIV-infected people should be regularly tested for anti-HCV and strengthen management.
5. Active treatment and management of infected patients: After self-healing or cure, people at risk of reinfection need to be tested for HCV RNA regularly.
Image source: Mizhi.com
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