Risk Of Developing Liver Cancer After HCV Treatment

Monday, October 25, 2010

What is the difference between Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B ?



Is there a vaccine that can prevent Hepatitis C?
Not yet. Vaccines are available only for Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B. Research into the development of a vaccine is under way.
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What Is The Incubation period:
14 to 180 days, average 45 days

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Is it possible to get over Hepatitis C?
Yes, approximately 15%–25% of people who get Hepatitis C will clear the virus from their bodies without treatment and will not develop chronic infection. Experts do not fully understand why this happens for some people.


How likely is it that acute Hepatitis C will become chronic?
Approximately 75%–85% of people who become infected with Hepatitis C virus develop chronic infection


How serious is chronic Hepatitis C?
Chronic Hepatitis C is a serious disease that can result in long-term health problems, including liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer, or even death. It is the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplantation in the United States. Approximately 8,000–10,000 people die every year from Hepatitis C related liver disease.

What are the long-term effects of Hepatitis C?
Of every 100 people infected with the Hepatitis C virus, about
75–85 people will develop chronic Hepatitis C virus infection; of those,
60–70 people will go on to develop chronic liver disease
5–20 people will go on to develop cirrhosis over a period of 20–30 years
1–5 people will die from cirrhosis or liver cancer
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How is Hepatitis C spread?
Hepatitis C is spread when blood from a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. Today, most people become infected with the Hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. Before 1992, when widespread screening of the blood supply began in the United States, Hepatitis C was also commonly spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants. People can become infected with the Hepatitis C virus during such activities as Sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs Needlestick injuries in health care settings Being born to a mother who has Hepatitis C Less commonly, a person can also get Hepatitis C virus infection through Sharing personal care items that may have come in contact with another person’s blood, such as razors or toothbrushes Having sexual contact with a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus
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If I had Hepatitis C in the past, can I get it again?
If you become infected with hepatitis C infection and then clear the virus (either by successful treatment or by spontaneously clearing it on your own, early after infection), it is still possible for you to become infected again. The chance of another infection with hepatitis C (reinfection) is much, much less than the chance of a first-time infection, but it is not impossible. It has happened in people who continue to use injection drugs, and some studies suggest that it happens even more often in people who are also HIV positive. In other words, having had hepatitis C once does not make you "immune" from getting hepatitis C again.
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Can Hepatitis C be spread through sexual contact?
Yes, but the risk of transmission from sexual contact is believed to be low. The risk increases for those who have multiple sex partners, have a sexually transmitted disease, engage in rough sex, or are infected with HIV. More research is needed to better understand how and when Hepatitis C can be spread through sexual contact.

Can you get Hepatitis C by getting a tattoo or piercing?
A few major research studies have not shown Hepatitis C to be spread through licensed, commercial tattooing facilities. However, transmission of Hepatitis C (and other infectious diseases) is possible when poor infection-control practices are used during tattooing or piercing. Body art is becoming increasingly popular in the United States, and unregulated tattooing and piercing are known to occur in prisons and other informal or unregulated settings. Further research is needed to determine if these types of settings and exposures are responsible for Hepatitis C virus transmission.

Can Hepatitis C be spread within a household?
Yes, but this does not occur very often. If Hepatitis C virus is spread within a household, it is most likely a result of direct, through-the-skin exposure to the blood of an infected household member.
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What is the risk of a pregnant woman passing Hepatitis C to her baby?
Hepatitis C is rarely passed from a pregnant woman to her baby. About 4 of every 100 infants born to mothers with Hepatitis C become infected with the virus. However, the risk becomes greater if the mother has both HIV infection and Hepatitis C.




Can Hepatitis B be prevented?
Yes. The best way to prevent Hepatitis B is by getting the Hepatitis B vaccine. The Hepatitis B vaccine is safe and effective and is usually given as 3-4 shots over a 6-month period.

What is the Hepatitis B vaccine series?
The Hepatitis B vaccine series is a sequence of shots that stimulate a person’s natural immune system to protect against HBV. After the vaccine is given, the body makes antibodies that protect a person against the virus. An antibody is a substance found in the blood that is produced in response to a virus invading the body. These antibodies are then stored in the body and will fight off the infection if a person is exposed to the Hepatitis B virus in the future.m
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What Is The Incubation period:
45 to 160 days, average 120 days
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What Are The Acute Symptoms in children?
Is generally without any symptoms (silent) and therefore is rarely diagnosed
Most children (>90%) who are exposed will go on to develop chronic infection
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What Are The Acute Symptoms in adults?
Many adults will have symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dark-colored urine, jaundice (eyes and skin turn yellow), itching, fatigue, and joint and muscle pain
Most adults (>90%) recover within 6 months from the acute illness and do not develop the chronic infection ,
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How likely is it that acute Hepatitis B will become chronic?
The likelihood depends upon the age at which someone becomes infected. The younger a person is when infected with Hepatitis B virus, the greater his or her chance of developing chronic Hepatitis B. Approximately 90% of infected infants will develop chronic infection. The risk goes down as a child gets older. Approximately 25%–50% of children infected between the ages of 1 and 5 years will develop chronic hepatitis. The risk drops to 6%–10% when a person is infected over 5 years of age. Worldwide, most people with chronic Hepatitis B were infected at birth or during early childhood.
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If I had Hepatitis B in the past, can I get it again?
No, once you recover from Hepatitis B, you develop antibodies that protect you from the virus for life. An antibody is a substance found in the blood that the body produces in response to a virus. Antibodies protect the body from disease by attaching to the virus and destroying it. However, some people, especially those infected during early childhood, remain infected for life because they never clear the virus from their bodies.

Can Hepatitis B be spread through sex?
Yes. Among adults in the United States, Hepatitis B is most commonly spread through sexual contact and accounts for nearly two-thirds of acute Hepatitis B cases. In fact, Hepatitis B is 50–100 times more infectious than HIV and can be passed through the exchange of body fluids, such as semen, vaginal fluids, and blood.
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Who is at risk of getting hepatitis B?
Anyone can get hepatitis B by coming into contact with blood or body fluids from someone who is infected with hepatitis B
The following people are at greatest risk.
Those who:
Have sex with an infected person
Have multiple sex partners
Have a sexually transmitted disease
Are men who have sexual contact with other men
Inject drugs or share needles, syringes, or other drug equipment
Live with a person who has chronic hepatitis B
Are infants born to infected mothers
Are exposed to blood and body fluids on the job
Are hemodialysis patients
Stay for a prolonged period of time in areas of the world with moderate to
high rates of hepatitis B
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How serious is chronic Hepatitis B?
Chronic Hepatitis B is a serious disease that can result in long-term health problems, including liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer, or even death. Approximately 2,000–4,000 people die every year from Hepatitis B-related liver disease.
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