Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV). The disease is spread through infected blood. HCV spreads easily when drug users using needle devices interchangeably. More than 80 percent of injection drug users infected with HCV. Hepatitis C can also be spread through unprotected sex. HCV is more easily transmitted than HIV through contaminated blood. In Indonesia, there are about 40 times more people than HIV-positive HCV-positive. You can be infected with HCV and is not aware of it. 15-30 percent of people clear HCV from their bodies without treatment. 70-85 percent develop chronic infection, and the virus stays in the body unless it is successfully treated. HCV may not cause a problem for approximately ten years or even longer, but Hep C can cause severe liver damage leading to heart failure and death.

After the hepatitis c harm the liver, blood tests will show test results are abnormal liver function. ALT and AST levels may be a sign of liver disease or injury. Even the normal functions of the liver, hepatitis c can cause liver damage. If you have HIV, should we test for HCV, in particular, if we ever injecting alternative equipment. Blood tests for HCV infection, including HCV antibodies and viral load. This test is similar to an HIV test. Often millions of viral load. The results of this test predicts the speed of diseases such as HIV viral load. HCV antibody tests may not detect hepatitis c by about 20 percent of people with HIV and HCV. HIV-infected patients with elevated hepatic enzymes tests should consider getting hepatitis c viral load.

HCV infection can be cured if treatment is started very soon after infection. Unfortunately, early signs of hepatitis seems like the flu. Most new cases are diagnosed several years after infection. The first step in treating HCV is to determine the type of HCV. There are six known types of HCV, called the "genotype". Most people infected with genotype 1. Some people infected with genotype 2 or 3. Genotype 1 is more difficult to treat than genotypes 2 or 3. The usual treatment for HCV is the combination of the drugs interferon and ribavirin. Interferon must be injected under the skin three times a week, and ribavirin is a pill taken twice a day. These drugs have severe side effects, including flu-like symptoms, irritability, depression, and low levels of red blood cells (anemia) or white blood cells.

Ribavirin increases the amount of ddI in the bloodstream, and can increase the side effects of ddI. Do not take ribavirin with zidovudine at the same time. Ribavirin may cause birth defects. Women should not wear it for six months or more before becoming pregnant, or during pregnancy. Men should not take ribavirin for at least six months prior to impregnate a woman. In 2001, a new form of interferon called "pegylated interferon" is approved to treat HCV. Types of drugs last longer in the blood. Only one injection is needed every week. Pegylated interferon seems to be stronger than the original shape. The drug is also used in combination with ribavirin.

HCV treatment usually lasts 6-12 months, depending on HCV genotype. After treatment, approximately 40% of patients with HCV genotype 1 and 80 percent of patients with genotype 2 or 3 had undetectable HCV RNA. This means the amount of HCV in the blood are too low to be detected. This percentage applies to people with HCV, not for people who are also infected with HIV. The figure for people living with HIV is lower. People with HCV RNA was still detectable after treatment may need to continue using interferon at lower doses, called "maintenance therapy."