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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New research from the University of Missouri School of Medicine indicates that accidental opioid overdose patients in central Missouri have high rates of hepatitis C infections, despite only 40% of patients having a history ...
Nov 7, 2024
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Health officials are investigating the case of an Iowa resident who died of Lassa fever after traveling recently to West Africa. The Ebola-like virus is rarely seen in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for ...
Oct 29, 2024
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A new Burnet Institute study finds that introducing a hepatitis C outreach and treatment program in Australian community pharmacies, particularly those offering opioid agonist therapy, could significantly increase testing, ...
Oct 25, 2024
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Most pediatric cases of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are perinatal, meaning the virus is transmitted from birthing parent to child during pregnancy or birth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ...
Oct 7, 2024
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Four people who were potentially exposed to hepatitis B and C and HIV during surgeries at a Portland-area hospital have filed a class action lawsuit against Providence, the medical facility and an anesthesiology group claiming ...
Jul 30, 2024
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An international team of researchers from University of California San Diego and el Colegio de la Frontera Norte in Mexico have revealed a significant association between the use of illicit fentanyl and the transmission of ...
Jul 30, 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
