hepatitis c virus
Hepatitis C is one type of viral infection of the liver. These infections can cause inflammation and liver damage. In most cases, hepatitis C can be cirrhosis (hardening) of the liver, liver cancer and death because liver failure.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), of the 170 million people with hepatitis C in the world, seven million of whom are residents of Indo. About 80 percent of people newly infected, the hepatitis disease will continue to develop into chronic infection. Cirrhosis occurs in approximately 10-20 percent of patients with chronic hepatitis C and liver cancer occur in 1-5 percent of patients with chronic hepatitis C over a period of 20-30 years.
“About 30 percent of people with hepatitis C when left in a long time prone to thickening of the liver (cirrhosis) and liver cancer,” said Chairman of the Heart Research Association, Dr. Unggul Budihusodo SpPDKGEH, as quoted from okezone.
All people are at risk for contracting hepatitis C. The virus can be transmitted through blood and body fluids, eg blood transfusion, tattooing, piercing, and injection.
Hepatitis C virus is also spread through direct contact with blood or blood products. The main route of transmission through blood transfusion is not filtered and the use of unsterilized needles or the use of repeated alternately.
“People who work associated with the use of syringes and human body fluids, such as health workers and laboratory workers, also including groups at risk,” said Dr. Unggul.
Perinatal transmission may also occur, but less frequently. Risk in children of mothers infected with relatively low, only about 5 percent. And to keep in mind, hepatitis C virus is not spread by sneezing, hugging, coughing, food, water, food utensils or the use of casual contact.
To date the virus has been found seven named in alphabetical order, namely hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, G, and TT. Difference between hepatitis virus is located on the difference in the chronicity of infection and long-term damage they cause.
Hepatitis C is a public health problem because most often progress to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and primary liver cancer. Compared with hepatitis B, hepatitis C virus often causes chronic liver disease. Virus replication or proliferation of these highly productive and can reach 10 trillion viral copies per day.
“Infection with hepatitis C virus has become a pandemic or global outbreak, in which patients are infected with more than human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),” said a doctor who practiced in RSCM.
Hepatitis C virus is genetically very varied. This virus also has a number of mutations or genetic changes that high, so it often appears that the mutant virus can often avoid the body’s antibodies.
The hepatitis C symptoms has no specific. Therefore, often referred to as covert infections (silent infection) due to early infection with hepatitis C virus is often asymptomatic and are not typical, so missed.
“Chronic hepatitis C is known as the silent killer because about 90 percent of cases almost no symptoms.
This situation increases the risk of transmission of hepatitis C virus carriers without realizing it,” he said while attending the World Hepatitis Day event in Blitzmegaplex.
Immediate Dr. Unggul recommended that the health conscious to check independently. It is not only important to prevent the spread of hepatitis C virus, but also increase the chances of successful treatment of chronic liver inflammation caused by infection.
“You should immediately see if it was doing something risky. If it is not at risk, check at least once in their lives,” said the doctor who also practiced at Omni Hospital.
The high production of virus could lead to generation of hepatitis C virus are diverse, and this allows the virus to escape from immune system attack. As a result, there has been no successful vaccines designed to prevent hepatitis C virus infection and treatment of type 1 hepatitis C infection takes one year, while the two types of hepatitis C infection and three for six months.
The success rate of hepatitis C treatment is influenced by age, gender, weight, and the number and type of virus. Successful treatment of hepatitis C infection approximately 85 percent. “The older the more difficult to treat. Opportunities treatment success is greater in women than men. Excess weight also lowers the level of treatment success,” said the Superior.
Sector Advisor to the Minister of Health Dr. Rahmi Untoro Medikolegal MPH coming his address from the Minister of Health said the government has to collect data on cases, surveillance, and improving access to health services to tackle the spread of hepatitis virus infection and hepatitis C treatment.
Improved access to services that have been carried out in cooperation between the government and PT Roche Indonesia, which has collected data on hepatitis C in 21 provinces of blood transfusion units, hospitals, and laboratories since October. “This activity is intended to look at the amount of hepatitis disease,” said Rahmi.
Dr. Unggul said, hepatitis C treatment campaign “Let’s Check, Heal Soon” should be done. “Now they are at risk can be immediately checked out and those who have been diagnosed treatment can run,” he message.
hepatitis treatment
