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MONDAY, June 12, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Hepatitis C is a serious viral infection that can damage your liver over time, but is there a cure for this insidious disease?
Over 2 million adults in the United States are infected with hepatitis C, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This virus attacks the liver, often silently, in the early stages of the disease. Untreated, hepatitis C can lead to liver scarring, liver cancer and death. It is one of the leading causes of liver transplants in the United States. Fortunately, this potentially deadly disease is curable.
There have been significant advances in the treatment of hepatitis C. According to the Mayo Clinic, “direct-acting” antiviral medications successfully treat the virus. These treatments have been shown to decrease treatment time with fewer side effects. The exact drugs and treatment plan depends on the hepatitis C genotype, existing liver damage and your medical history. It is recommended to retest for the virus 12 to 24 weeks after treatment, to see if the medication was effective.
The World Health Organization reports that “antiviral medicines can cure more than 95% of persons with hepatitis C infection, but access to diagnosis and treatment is low.”
It is essential to know that you can be reinfected with hepatitis C after you are cured. Because you can get hepatitis C again once you have cleared the virus, those who have at-risk behaviors should be tested yearly for infection, the CDC says.
Hepatitis A and hepatitis B have vaccines available; however, hepatitis C does not. Dr. Stacey Rizza explains why in an article for the Mayo Clinic. “The hepatitis C virus is more variable than hepatitis A and hepatitis B viruses. Hepatitis C occurs in at least seven genetically distinct forms (genotypes) with multiple subtypes," she explained. "About 60 subtypes have been identified. Different genotypes cause infections in different parts of the world. A global vaccine would have to protect against all variants of the virus.”
Ethical costs and concerns also exist with using an animal model to develop such a vaccine. Those costs and considerations are weighed against the fact that hepatitis C is curable.
The hepatitis C virus is transmitted through exposure to blood from an infected person. According to the CDC, this often occurs from sharing needles, syringes or any other equipment used to prepare and inject drugs.
The Veterans Administration recommends taking the following measures to prevent exposure to hepatitis C:
In addition, do not share razors, toothbrushes, toothpicks or nail clippers; these can all harbor the vaccine. And only get injections from a licensed professional who uses clean syringes.
If you suspect you may have been exposed or have symptoms of this virus, seek medical care. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms include fatigue, nausea, yellowing of the skin, weight loss, confusion, swelling and itchy skin, among others.
The Veterans Administration lists the following free resources:
Hepatitis C can slowly destroy your liver if left untreated, but luckily there are medications that can essentially cure 95% of patients.