Hepatitis C - Medtick
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Hepatitis C

What is it?

Viral infection causing swelling of the liver.

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne, positive-stranded RNA virus within the genus Hepacivirus and family Flaviviridae.
  • About 85% of people who have this condition can develop long term liver disease.
One needs to beware of staying within limits of drinking alcohol as this condition can increase risk of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease.
Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs can be used sparingly under medical supervision, however Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs is not recommended in asthma or asthma type symptoms. Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs should not be used if one has cirrhosis (end-stage liver disease), check with your Medical doctor/Pharmacist when one can have any type of fever reducing medication and the appropriate dose to make sure it suitable for you.

Cause

  • Virus: Hepacivirus and family Flaviviridae
  • Blood to blood contact:
    • Medical equipment not sterilised
    • Tattoos, body piercing in unlicensed places
    • Sharing towels, razor blades
  • Treatments:
    • Blood transfusion of infected blood
    • Blood donation of infected blood
  • Illicit drugs:
    • Sharing needles
  • Semen/vaginal fluid (less likely):
    • Sexual intercourse unprotected
  • Saliva:
    • Kissing
    • Human bite
    • Infected blood gets splashed in eyes/mouth especially at risk, nurse, surgeons, healthcare lab technicians and social workers.
    • Passed from infected mother to baby during child birth

Symptoms

  • General discomfort (muscle weakness), uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise) and/or fatigue (tiredness)?
  • Aching, painful muscles, muscle cramps/spasms/stiffness?
  • Joint pain and stiffness?
  • High temperature greater than 38°C (100°F) or over and/or chills and sweats longer than 72 hours?
  • Changes in the way things taste or smell (smokers will often develop a sudden distaste for cigarettes)?
  • Pain in the upper right part of the abdomen (generally mild, but constant)?
  • Abdominal pain and/or are constant violently vomiting or vomiting longer than two days?
  • Diarrhoea?
  • Red and/or raised hive rash (especially hepatitis B)?
  • Mood swings?
  • Short term memory loss or difficulty concentrating?
  • Itching?
  • Depression?

Then within 2-5 days the infection will trigger the build-up of bilirubin (an orange-yellow pigment produced when the liver breaks down old red blood cells).

Further symptoms include (if these symptoms occurs one needs urgent medical advice):

  • Jaundice (yellowing of skin and whites of the eyes)?
  • Dark coloured urine?
  • Pale or clay-coloured stools?

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Medical Emergency Condition

And/or do not wait, phone for an ambulance if have/develop:

This condition can lead to:

This condition tends to also be with:

Alcohol – Related issues

One needs to beware of staying within limits of drinking alcohol as this condition can increase risk of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease.

This condition may show similar symptom to:

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Hepatitis C in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).

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