Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Because this illness cause next to no symptoms in its beginning stages, it is oftentimes referred to as a silent killer. Yet, according to a study by Dr. John B. Wong, published in the "American Journal of Public Health" Vol 90, in 2000, HCV is a deadly virus that takes the lives of approximately 8,000 Americans every year
HCV Transmission
The virus is spread primarily through contaminated blood. Blood products used to be the main methods through which HCV was transmitted, but ever since 1992, when it became possible to detect the virus in blood, transmissions through transfusions, and organ transmissions have been minimal. The most common ways through which HCV is spread are unprotected sex and sharing of contaminated needles among drug addicts. Some people also get this virus from tattoo and piercing salons. It is also possible to contract HCV at birth, as it can be passed from mother to baby.
Diagnosing HCV
A Hepatitis C infection has two phases. The first one, called the acute phase, last six months from the time of exposure to the virus until the onset of the symptoms. It takes three to 12 weeks for the contamination in the patient to start building antibodies to the virus. The individual differences in the length of time it takes for the antibodies to appear are significant, and thus it might be worthwhile to repeat the HCV test to be sure that the patient is not carrying the virus. Three tests can show or suggest the presence of the HCV virus: HCV antibodies, PCR and liver function tests (LFTs). Despite of the fact that it is possible to diagnose HCV during the acute phase, most people carrying the virus do not get diagnosed for HCV until years later. The reason for this is simple: they do not have any HCV symptoms.
Symptoms of the Acute Phase
Most people do not seem to experience symptoms during the acute phase. The possible symptoms experienced during this phase seem to be quite mild and mimic those of a flu. A patient may have a low-grade fever, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and he may feel very tired, and have a poor appetite. Even if the patient were to see a doctor during this stage, he would rarely be suspected as a carrier of HCV because the symptoms of the patient closely resemble those of common infections. Very rarely, severe symptoms of early liver damage may appear. These might include jaundice, in which the skin and the eyes of the patients turn yellow. In these cases, the doctor may be able to correctly diagnose the presence of the virus. In many cases, however, HCV is diagnosed by accident when the patient, for example, decides to donate blood.
Spontaneous Clearance of the HCV Virus
According to Hep C Advocacy, approximately 15 to 20 percent of all patients who have HCV fight off the virus on their own during the acute phase. Several factors make it more likely for a person to be able to do this including young age, being female and having a healthy immune system. Interestingly, patients with more severe symptoms seem to be able to do this more often than those who have mild symptoms. Infants who contracted HCV during childbirth have much better chances of fighting the virus than other age groups. People with suppressed immune systems, such as HIV patients, or organ transplant recipients typically are not able to fight off the virus during this phase. Thus, initiation of active antiretroviral therapy may help the patient in combating the virus. If a patient’s immune system fails to fight off the virus during the acute phase, the patient will carry the virus for the rest of his life, and will move to the second phase called the chronic phase.
