A new study examining the treatment of xylazine-associated wounds in Philadelphia sheds light on the severe medical complications and health care challenges caused by the widespread presence of the drug in the city's illicit ...
Feb 17, 2025
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Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have developed the first transgenic nonhuman primate model—genetically modified to carry a human gene—for studying hepatitis B virus. The breakthrough could lead to the ...
Feb 13, 2025
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A study conducted by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that by pre-ordering lipid panels—the tests that can indicate high cholesterol and help predict stroke and heart ...
Jan 30, 2025
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A new study published in Addiction has found that opioid smoking appears to be associated with lower mortality risk compared with opioid injecting. The authors, however, caution that opioid smoking still carries a substantial ...
Jan 23, 2025
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More than three years have passed since federal health officials arrived in central Appalachia to assess an alarming outbreak of HIV spread mostly between people who inject opioids or methamphetamine.
Jan 9, 2025
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In 2023, there were an estimated 68,890 people living with hepatitis C in Australia, down 58% from 162,590 at the end of 2015, according to a new report released by the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney.
Dec 16, 2024
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New research reveals a dramatic improvement in diagnosing and curing people living with hepatitis C in rural communities using both telemedicine and support from peers with lived experience in drug use.
Nov 27, 2024
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In most people, the lung-infecting pathogens known as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) trigger mild cold-like symptoms. But in infants and seniors, these viruses can cause severe pneumonia ...
Nov 19, 2024
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Around 2 to 3 million people live with hepatitis C in the U.S. and 40% of those people (roughly 800,000) were not even aware that they had the infection. Hepatitis C is common and completely treatable.
Nov 13, 2024
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Research analyzing European survey data from 113,884 men who have sex with men (MSM) and published in Eurosurveillance indicates that while most MSM have a basic understanding of viral hepatitis, only 44% report having been ...
Nov 7, 2024
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Hepatitis C is an infectious disease affecting primarily the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years. In some cases, those with cirrhosis will go on to develop liver failure, liver cancer or life-threatening esophageal and gastric varices.
HCV is spread primarily by blood-to-blood contact associated with intravenous drug use, poorly sterilized medical equipment and transfusions. An estimated 130–170 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C. The existence of hepatitis C (originally "non-A non-B hepatitis") was postulated in the 1970s and proven in 1989. It is not known to cause disease in other animals.
The virus persists in the liver in about 85% of those infected. This persistent infection can be treated with medication; peginterferon and ribavirin are the current standard therapy. Overall, between 50–80% of people treated are cured. Those who develop cirrhosis or liver cancer may require a liver transplant. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplantation though the virus usually recurs after transplantation. No vaccine against hepatitis C is currently available.
This text uses material from Wikipedia licensed under CC BY-SA
