Hepatitis A causes an acute hepatitis that almost always gets better on its own. It is easily spread from person to person, in

food and water, and can infect many people at once .

Hepatitis B can be both acute (short-term illness) and chronic

(ongoing illness), and is spread through blood or other body fluids in various ways

Hepatitis C is almost always chronic and spreads only by blood. Hepatitis A and B can be prevented by vaccination, but not

Hepatitis C .

Hepatitis c is a viral infection of the liver which had

been referred to as parentally transmitted

Approximately 3% of the world’s population infected with HCV. In

the US, many of whom are still undiagnosed.

In Egypt the situation is quite worse.

The half life of the virus

particles in the serum is

around 3 hours and may

be as short as 45 minutes.

In an infected person,

about 1012 virus particles

are produced each day. In

addition to replicating in

the liver the virus can

multiply in lymphocytes.

The virus replicates mainly in the

hepatocytes of the liver,

The virus may also replicate in The

blood cells which are a critical

component in the immune system,

due to high levels of immunological

disorders found in chronically

infected HCV patients as the

following stages :

the mutation rate produces so

many fast ,however virus C it is

considered as self-replicating.

As the

following

stages >>

1-Entry and receptors binding :

Entry into host cells occur through complex interactions between

virions and cell-surface molecules.

2- Polyprotien prosseing:

HCV takes over portions of the intracellular machinery to replicate by

protease enzyme ( hydrolyze the peptide bonds that link amino acids

together in the polypeptide chain forming the protein) proteins then

take the virus into the RNA replication process ....

3- Replication :

RNA replication takes places via the viral RNA-dependent RNA

polymerase

New virus particles released into the secretory pathway at the cell

surface.

The virus replicates on intracellular membranes especially in The

endoplasmic reticulum .

4- Virion Assembly :

The large pre-protein is later cut by cellular and viral proteases into the

10 smaller proteins that allow viral replication within the host cell, or

assemble into the original viral particles.

1- sharing needles.

2-using non sterile instruments and

needle for tattooing

3-receiving organs such as:

kidney liver or pancreas from a

donor who is infected with HCV

4-Blood transfusion which used

to be a major way that HCV was

spread

- 5-sharing personal care items such as: scissors-nail clipper or toothbrush with an infected

person

6-transmission from medical and dental equipments

7-sexual behavior

8- occupational exposures: health care workers who have

exposure to blood are at risk of infection

About 80% of those exposed to the

virus develop a chronic infection.

Viral replication for at leaset six

months.

Chronic infection after several

years may cause cirrhosis or

liver cancer

Hepatitis c will develop a chronic

infection (asymptomatic).

1- diagnostic tests commercially available today are

based on enzyme immuno sorbant assays (ELA)for

detection of HCV specific antibodies.

2- recombinant immuno blot assay (RIBA) that

identifies antibodies which react with individual

HCV antigen

3-testing for HCV circulating by amplification tests

RNA (e.g polymerase chain reaction).

Antiviral drugs such as interferon taken

alone or in combination with ribavirin,

can be used for the treatment of

persons with chronic hepatitis C, but

the cost of treatment is very high.

Treatment with interferon alone is

effective in about 10% to 20% of

patients. Interferon combined with

ribavirin is effective in about 30% to

50% of patients

Three different types of drugs are used to treat

hepatitis C: peginterferon, ribavirin, and hepatitis

C protease inhibitors. Peginterferon can work by

itself, but ribavirin cannot.

direct exposure to

infected blood.

Sexual exposure

Transmission of HCV to

others may obtained by :

Perinatal exposure

How to Reduce risk for disease ???

and available prevention :

1- Test persons at risk for HCV and

determine infection status .

2- Consulting and medical

evaluation to :

-prevent further harm to liver.

-prevent transmission to others .

3- Don’t share items as : razors ,

toothbrush , or needles .( direct blood

exposure )

4- Avoid donate unscreened organs or

blood , other tissue , or semen .

( direct blood exposure )

5- Cover cuts or sores on the skin.

6- Avoid direct exposure to persons use

illegal drugs .

Notice That

!!!!!