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Author:
Kent Pinkerton

Hepatitis C is one of the seven types of hepatitis, a disease that takes on many forms and features inflammation of the liver. Although this type does not reveal many signs or symptoms, there are various treatments that can be used to cure this disease, one of which is a combination of interferon alfa injections and ribavirin capsules. But for mild hepatitis C, doctors will recommend bed rest, a healthy diet, and some medications after diagnosis.

Hepatitis C is diagnosed through a blood test to determine the severity of the disease. In the case of chronic hepatitis, the illness can be assessed through a tissue sample from the liver. Aside from this, there are many other tests for liver function that can be conducted to determine to what extent the liver is affected by the hepatitis C virus.

In 1989, investigators at Chiron, Inc., discovered the hepatitis C virus, better known as HCV. This is an enveloped, single-stranded, positive sense RNA virus of the Hepacivirus genus and Flaviviridae family. This virus binds to receptors, the CD81 and Scavenger Receptor class b1, on liver tissue when circulating in the bloodstream. Based on genetic differences, HCV is classified into six genotypes that can be transmitted by blood contact. Unlike hepatitis A and B, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C. But there are available treatments that may vary depending on the HCV genotype.

In spite of the discovery of HCV, much experimentation should still be done in order to come up with drugs to better treat this disease. Even with the development of excellent diagnostic methods, the production of specific drugs that work against HCV is yet to come. But with the advancement in science and technology, they soon will be discovered.

Hepatitis C provides detailed information on Hepatitis C, Hepatitis C Symptoms, Hepatitis C Treatments, Hepatitis C Virus and more. Hepatitis C is affiliated with Herpes Cure.

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A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Hepatitis... Hepatitis C Are you experiencing jaundice, fatigue, dark urine, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and nausea? If you experience all these, you can be suffering from hepatitis C, a disease of the liver, which is caused by the hepatitis C virus or HCV. This disease is transmitted when the blood from an infected person enters the body of an uninfected person. It can be spread through sharing needles. It can also be transmitted from an infected mother to her baby during birth. The long-term effects of this disease include chronic infection, chronic liver disease, and death. Unlike other diseases, hepatitis C has no vaccine, but there are blood tests that are available to check for this disease, especially if you were notified that you received blood from an infected donor or if you have ever injected illegal drugs. You should also contact your medical provider for a blood test if you have ever been on long-term kidney dialysis or if you have evidence of liver disease. The blood tests that will be conducted are anti-HCV, qualitative tests to detect presence or absence of virus, and quantitative tests to detect amount of virus. These tests can determine if you have been infected with HCV. Your doctor can recommend you to undergo one or a combination of these tests. Since there is no vaccine to hepatitis C, prevention is one of the best things that a person can do to avoid the risk factors. You should never shoot drugs, or if you can’t stop, at least never share needles. Also do not share personal care items that might have blood on them, like razors. If you are thinking about getting a tattoo or ear piercing, you might as well think twice because there is risk of getting infected if the tools have someone else’s blood on them. Keep all these preventive measures in mind because...