This document provides information about hepatitis C, including: - Hepatitis C is a disease caused by the hepatitis C virus that affects the liver. Approximately 3.2 million people in the US have chronic hepatitis C. - The virus replicates in the liver, triggering an immune response that can damage liver cells over many years and cause scarring and loss of liver function. - Hepatitis C is diagnosed through antibody and RNA tests. The RNA test detects the actual virus and its viral load, while the genotype test identifies the strain of hepatitis C.

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Amjad Khan Afridi
HEPATITIS
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver
– Hepat (liver) + it is (inflammation)= Hepatitis
Viral hepatitis means there is a specific virus that is causing your liver to inflame
OR
HEPATITIS C is a diseasethat affects your liver. It is caused by a virus,
called the hepatitis C virus, or HCV for short. Approximately 3.2 million people in
the United States are thought to have chronic hepatitis C, making it the most
common infection of the blood in the United States.
Hepatitis C:
 Affects each persondifferently
 No vaccine available
 Many people have the virus and do not even know it
 Approximately 1 out of 100 Canadians infected Is located in the upper right
quadrant of the abdomen.
How does hepatitis C cause problems?
Hepatitis C replicates in the liver. During this process, parts of the virus trigger
your immune systeminto action. In the process of trying to rid your body of the
HCV infection, the immune systemactually kills infected liver cells. Over a slow
process of many years, the interaction between the immune systemand your
liver can result in scarring of the liver and loss of liver function.

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Amjad Khan Afridi
What happens to people with hepatitis C?
Most people who are infected with hepatitis C develop a chronic infection with
the virus. Butfor somepeople, their body gets rid of the virus on its own very
early after they are firstinfected.
How is hepatitis C diagnosed?
Two main tests are used to diagnoseand confirmthe presenceof hepatitis C
(HCV) infection: the antibody testand the RNA test .
Tests of HCV infection
HCV Antibody
The HCV antibody test can be either positive or negative. A positive resultmeans
that you have been infected with HCV at some point. Onceyou are positivefor
the antibody, this test will remain positive, even if you are successfully treated.
HCV RNA test
This is a test of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) itself. It detects the virus in the
bloodstreamand can measurehow many units of virus are present. The RNA test
is also known as the “viral load.” The resultis usually a number of international
units. When the viralload is “undetected” it means that there is no measurable
virus in the blood.
HCV Genotype test
The HCV genotype is the strain of hepatitis C that you have. The genotype is
important in determining the medications used for treatment. The most common
genotype in the U.S. is genotype1, but worldwidethere are genotypes 1-6.
Epidemiology:
 1.8% of the U.S. population
 ~ 4 million infected persons in the U.S.
 8,000 –10,000 deaths per year

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Amjad Khan Afridi
 Global prevalence – 170 million
 5 X moreprevalent than HIV
Agent factors
 The Hepatitis C virus(HCV) is:
 Small
 Enveloped
 ss+RNA Virus
 Itis the member of the Hepacivirus genus in the family Flaviviridae.
Signs and symptoms:
Individuals may have one or more of the following symptoms, while others experience no
symptoms:
1. Tiredness
2. Nausea
3. Muscle or joint pain
4. Trouble sleeping
5. Loss of appetite
6. Weight loss
7. Abdominal pain
8. Itchiness
9. Depression
10.10.Dark urine(pee)
A few may have specific liver relatedsymptoms initially:
 Pale stool (poo)
 Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)

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Amjad Khan Afridi
HCV LIFE CYCLE:
PREVENTATION:
 Never sharedrug equipment
– Straws, bills, needles, syringes etc…
 Never sharetooth brushes/razors or any personalhygienearticles that
have blood on them (even tiny amounts).
 Practice safer sex
 Always makesurenew & sterilized equipment is being used for tattooing &
piercing
 Make sureink for tattooing is not being shared
 Do not touch dirty needles without proper equipment or following proper process.
Epidemiology Notes
Madam Saira
Prepared By Amjad Khan Afridi