Hepatitis C

Acute or Chronic Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C Virus

Envelope, Spherical virion 50nm, (+) single stranded RNA virus 9600b, 7 genotypes, 8 protien coding genes

Humans

Compromised skin or mucosa

Person to person via contaminated body fluids (blood); sharing items contaminated with blood; viability of virus outside of host is 3 weeks; mother to baby (birth)

80% asymptomatic; acute- same as hep B. latency same as hep B

80% chronic infection (asymptomatic or suffer general fatigue or depression); liver cirrhosis (10-20% w/in 20yrs); liver cancer (20x risk for those with cirrhosis); liver failure

practice universal precautions, avoid exposure to contaminated fluids

Direct Acting Antivirals (DAAs), Interferon (IFN), Avoid alcohol consumption