Hepatitis C is a viral infection that can lead to serious liver damage, primarily spread through contaminated blood, with many chronic cases remaining asymptomatic for years. Recent advances have made chronic hepatitis C often curable with daily oral medications, though careful screening is necessary to determine the best treatment plan. Prevention strategies focus on reducing risk factors, and the WHO recommends education, vaccination for hepatitis A and B, and regular monitoring for liver disease.

1. HEPATITIS C
TANER YEKE - GROUP 1

2. Introduction
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation,
sometimes leading to serious liver damage. The hepatitis C virus (HCV)
spreads through contaminated blood.
Until recently, hepatitis C treatment required weekly injections and oral
medications that many HCV-infected people couldn't take because of
other health problems or unacceptable side effects.
That's changing. Today, chronic HCV is usually curable with oral
medications taken every day for two to six months.

3. Long-term infection with the hepatitis C virus is known as chronic
hepatitis C. Chronic hepatitis C is usually a "silent" infection for many
years, until the virus damages the liver enough to cause the signs and
symptoms of liver disease.

4. • Bleeding easily
• Bruising easily
• Fatigue
• Poor appetite
• Jaundice
• Dark colored urine
• Itchy skin
• Ascites
• Swelling in your legs
• Weight loss
• hepatic encephalopathy
• spider angiomas

5. The incubation period for hepatitis C is 2
weeks to 6 months

6. • Diagnosis of acute infection is often missed because a majority of
infected people have no symptoms
• Common methods of antibody detection cannot differentiate
between acute and chronic infection
• The presence of antibodies against the hepatitis C virus indicates
infection

7. • The hepatitis C virus Recombinant Immunoblot Assay (RIBA)
and hepatitis C virus RNA testing are used to confirm the
diagnosis
• Early diagnosis has potentials to prevent health problems
from infection and prevent transmission to family members
and other close contacts

8. • People who received blood, blood products or organs before
screening for hepatitis C virus
• Current or former injecting drug users
• Individuals on long term haemodialysis
• Health care workers
• Individuals with HIV infection
• Individuals with liver disease
• Infants born to infected mothers

9. • Serologic assays: Detect specific antibodies (anti-HCV) in the blood,
indicating past or current infection.
• Molecular assays: Detect viral nucleic acid, either qualitatively
(presence/absence) or quantitatively (measuring virus levels in
IU/mL).
• Genotyping assays: Classify the virus into 6 major genotypes, helping
to predict treatment response and duration. Useful in epidemiological
studies.

11. • For serologic assays: Obtain 3.5 mL of blood in a gold top tube, plain red top tube, or serum
separator microtainer. No special patient preparation is required. After collection, the specimen
is allowed to clot, then centrifuged, and refrigerated or frozen for transport.
• For HCV RNA PCR testing (viral nucleic acid detection) in adults: Collect 4-6 mL of blood in an
EDTA (purple-top) tube. In infants, collect 2 mL of blood in a pediatric EDTA tube, and in
newborns, use a full purple/lavender-top microtainer tube. The specimen should be
immediately brought to the lab for processing. Plasma is separated from whole blood within 6
hours of collection by centrifugation at room temperature.
• For HCV genotyping: Collect 6 mL of blood in an EDTA tube. The plasma must be separated and
frozen within 4 hours of collection. After centrifugation, the plasma is frozen for transport and
stabilization.

12. • Hepatitis does not always require treatment
• There are 6 genotypes and each react differently to treatment
• Careful screening is necessary before starting the treatment to
determine the most appropriate approach for the patient
• Combination anti viral therapy with interferon and ribavirin has been
the mainstay for treating hepatitis C
• Two new therapeutic agents telaprevir and beceprevir have been used
in certain countries

13. PREVENTATION:
• There is no vaccination for hepatitis C
THE RISK OF INFECTION CAN BE REDUCED BY AVOIDING:
• Unnecessary and unsafe injections
• Unsafe blood products
• Unsafe sharp waste collection and disposal
• Use of illicit drugs and sharing of injection equipment
• Unprotected sex with hepatitis C infected people
• Sharing of sharp personal items that may have been contaminated with
infected blood

14. WHO recommendations:
• Education and counselling on options for care and treatment
• Immunization with the hepatitis A and B vaccines to prevent co-
infection from hepatitis virus to protect the liver
• Early and appropriate medical management including antiviral
therapy if appropriate
• Regular monitoring for early diagnosis of chronic liver disease