Hepatitis C is a disease caused by the virus which affects the liver. Over time it can become the reason of such diseases, as cirrhosis, cancer of a liver and hepatic failure. Many people get to know that they have hepatitis C only after violation of a liver function. It may happen in some years after infection.
The history of discovery
To some people, symptoms of hepatitis C can be observed during a short time, but then suddenly disappear. It is an acute hepatitis C which meets quite rarely. Chronic hepatitis C is observed at the majority of the infected.
Hepatitis C is a very dangerous disease, but as a rule, patients may live their usual life with such diagnosis.
Hepatitis C was included in the list of diseases in 1989. Long before in many countries doctors were finding out negative results at patients with violations of work of a liver on hepatitis A and B. This unknown illness was also called hepatitis C. 3% of the Earth population live with chronic hepatitis C.
How is hepatitis C transmitted?
Hepatitis C is transmitted by sharing of syringes approximately in 50%. In general, hepatitis C is transmitted by contacts with blood of the infected people. For example, you may be infected by hepatitis if you use common razor or toothbrush with a virus carrier (on condition if infected blood were left on a toothbrush and you have wounds in a mouth). Blood donor wasn’t checked for hepatitis C till 1992. Therefore some people could be infected by a virus carrier at blood transfusion in earlier years. The probability to be infected by hepatitis C at transfusion is not high.
Hepatitis C can be transmitted by sexual contact. But it occurs rarely at such conditions: sex without condom during menstruation, damages on genitals. Infection doesn’t occur at contact with mucous or sperm.
Drawing tattoos and pricks to piercing salons may cause hepatitis C. It is especially dangerous to do tattoos or piercing in Third World countries. There is no control of sanitary standards.
Rarely child may get hepatitis C at birth.
If you think that you were infected by this disease, pass inspection on hepatitis C as soon as possible.
Infection Myths
You will not be infected by hepatitis C if you drink, eat from common tableware or you use one bathroom with infected person.
Symptoms of hepatitis C: constant and causeless fatigue, pain in joints and stomach, skin itch, muscular pains, dark color of urine, yellowish color of skin and eyes (jaundice). Most of infected people don’t have any symptoms of this disease (till 10-15 years after infection).
Some people get to know about hepatitis C only after general medical examination. Hepatitis C can be detected after blood test.
If, according to results of the analysis, your blood has antibodies to a hepatitis C virus were detected in your blood, you must pass biopsy to define degree of organ damage.
Patient don not need treatment if liver is not injured too much. Peginterferon and ribavirin are the best medicines against hepatitis C. Their efficiency depends on degree of liver damage and also from a kind of hepatitis C.
Eat, play in sports games, also avoid alcohol and forbidden preparations to prevent or slow down further development of an illness. Some medicines can negatively influence on a liver. Doctor has to consider this, when appointing medicine to patients with hepatitis C.
Ways of hepatitis C transmission
The sexual way of hepatitis C transmission is only 3-5% of probability. Such disease is transmitted from man to woman more often than vise versa. Infection can be transmitted at sexual way in a case if skin of sexual organ is damage.
Transmission of the virus from mother to child is still not investigated well. Doctors recommend do Cesarean section if risk of hepatitis C. But doctors don’t know the exact moment of infection for the infant: during prenatal development or at natural childbirth. In most cases children of the infected mothers are born healthy.
Hepatitis C can’t be transmitted airborne, at handshake, or kiss. Infection occurs in case if blood of infected person gets into blood of healthy person.
Types of hepatitis C
Types of hepatitis C: acute and chronic. In 70% of cases the acute hepatitis C transform into a chronic form.
Sometimes, (10-20% of cases) immunity treats hepatitis C by itself and successfully wins. Duration of such treatment is 6-12 months.
Don’t treat yourself at home, if virus or antibodies to hepatitis C were detected. Consult with doctor who will tell to you how treatment must be built. Interferon and a ribavirin are one of the most effective medicines, in the absence of contraindications.
Life with hepatitis C
Patients with hepatitis C, first of all, have to take measures to not infect healthy people. Store toothbrushes and razors separately from othes, if you don’t live alone. You will not be able infect others using common bathroom equipment, such as towels. Tell to family members about the illness. They have to know: can hepatitis C be transmitted? Why does hepatitis C dangerous? and how to protect yourself from infection.
Inform your sexual partners about the illness beforehand. They will perhaps refuse to have sex with you, but this is their choice. Don’t ignore the risk to be infected during sex.
Consult with psychologist if it is difficult for you to live with such diagnosis. Communication with infected people helps to look at the illness from another side and understand, that you don’t have any obstacle for happy life.
Play sports, try sleep more, eat many vegetables and fruits. Movement, healthy sleep, also minerals and vitamins at hepatitis C are necessary be healthy and active person during more time.
You have to change a way of life. Don’t drink alcohol, do hard manual work and don’t eat fried food to make a lower loading on a liver. Consult with a doctor before you apply vitamins and food additives. You may also apply homeopathic medicines supporting and clearing a liver. The main thing in this case: don’t load already suffering liver, but facilitate its work. Regular inspections and analyses will help to look for health of liver. It is very important to strengthen immunity, mobilizing protective forces of an organism to win virus. Scientists haven’t still invented medicine which would treat patient forever.
Inform dentist about your illness at the doctor. Inform relatives and sexual partners. Infectiologists recommend to do vaccination against hepatitis B and A to avoid possible excessive load on a liver in case of repeated infection.
Hepatitis C is a dangerous disease which can threaten to life in a case if you don’t take any measures. You may keep usual life, have children at correctly organized way of life. You have to detect disease in time, then treat it and hope for the best.
