C virus
Is one of the viruses that cause hepatitis, hepatitis is divided into three main types A, B and C. C virus is one of the most dangerous viruses, it causes the onset of acute hepatitis infection immediately after infection, and lasts for a relatively short period and may not suffer from any symptoms, according to the World Health Organization, about 15-45% of people with severe Of hepatitis C will recover completely from the disease within six months of infection without even resorting to treatment, while the remaining may be infected with the chronic type of hepatitis C, and then suffer from the disease throughout life, in addition to an increased chance of cirrhosis of the liver and may be about 15 – 30% within 20 years, and may develop cancer D as well.
Patients of the chronic type can coexist with the disease and live normally using modern methods of treatment, with chronic hepatitis C coexisting between 130 and 150 million people in the world. In contrast, the disease caused by the disease kills nearly 700,000 people worldwide every year. The virus is transmitted through the blood, often resulting from the use of contaminated syringes, blood transfusions or products without examination, sharing a toothbrush or razor blade with a person infected with the virus, and a pregnant woman may transmit infection to her fetus.
Symptoms of C virus
Most people with hepatitis C do not suffer from any symptoms, be it severe or chronic, more than two thirds of patients in the acute stage may not complain of any symptoms. In the chronic type, the patient may remain for many years without feeling any symptoms, and then the disease is idle, and show when the disease activates and causes inflammation of the liver cells, and the cord if not treated. Thus, the symptoms of hepatitis C can be divided according to the type of inflammation as follows:
Symptoms associated with acute hepatitis C
Symptoms appear after about two to twenty-six weeks of infection, and may last for two to 12 weeks. The most prominent symptoms are as follows:
- Suffering from abdominal pain, this pain may be located in the right part of the abdomen.
- Suffering from the yolk, it shows on the skin and eyes.
- The color of the patient’s output changes, so the urine color becomes darker and the stool color is lighter.
- Suffering from anorexia and nausea.
- The body temperature rises slightly and the feeling of chills.
- Suffering from itching in the skin, pain in the joints and muscles.
Symptoms associated with chronic hepatitis C
This may cause the onset of feeling of several symptoms, such as anorexia, nausea and general fatigue, as well as pain in the joints and muscles, but if the disease worsens to the extent of liver failure, then other symptoms may appear as follows:
- Suffering from jaundice, yellowing of the skin and yellowing of the eyes.
- The color of the patient’s stool changes and becomes lighter, and the color of his urine becomes darker.
- Swelling of the feet and legs due to the accumulation of fluid in them.
- Suffering from ascites, the fluid pool in the peritoneal cavity, which separates the lining of the abdominal cavity and the membrane covering the internal organs.
- The feeling of pain in the entire abdomen.
- Suffering from vomiting accompanied by blood.
- Ease of bleeding and bruising even when exposed to minor strokes.
- Suffering from itching in the skin.
Treatment of C virus
Acute hepatitis C is treated with a healthy diet and complete rest, as well as drinking large quantities of fluids, to reduce the chances of progression of inflammation to the chronic type. Some patients may need to take medicines, and then the doctor will give them the same medications that are used to treat chronic hepatitis C.
These drugs have been in many stages of development. Previously they used only two drugs, Pegylated Interferon, which was discontinued and replaced by other more effective compounds, causing less serious side effects, and ribavirin, which is still used At present with some other drugs.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves the use of new types of hepatitis C drugs on a regular basis. These drugs include Simeprevir, a combination of Lypedasvir and Sofosbuvir, as well as a compound of Elbasvir And Grazoprevir. A combination of Sofosbuvir and Velpatasvir has recently been approved. This compound has been shown to be effective in treating all six subtypes of hepatitis C.
The treatment methods used in the treatment of hepatitis C is a transplant of the liver, and when suffering from complications resulting from this inflammation, such as cirrhosis of the liver or liver failure or liver cancer, doctors then remove the damaged part of the liver and replace it with healthy tissue, often Of the body of a donor or part of the liver of a healthy person, but this method does not eliminate the virus C in most cases, usually the part is implanted vulnerable to infection, so the doctor gives patients certain types of drugs mentioned above to prevent the infection of the liver implanted.