Sign and symptoms

Hepatitis C indications can be mild and severe which include

temperature
feeling exhausted
poor hunger

If hepatitis C indications progress after contagion, then symptoms may include:

Nausea

Vomiting

Stomach pain

Pain in joints and muscle

Problems in urine or bowel movement

Getting tested
it can be hard to tell whether you have hepatitis C, you can confirm it by getting
tested.A blood test in your doctors office can approve whether you have the disorder.

When the doctor gets the results of blood test, they may mention that you suffer
a biopsy on your liver to control if you have long-lasting hepatitis C.

Populations at increased risk of HCV infection include :

People who inject drugs

People with HIV infection

People who have used intranasal drug

People who have had tattoos

People with sexual partners who are HCV infected

Children born to mothers infected with HCV

Diagnostics tests

HCV Antibody testing

Diagnostic hepatitis C begins with an antibody test . Antibodies to HCV can b detected
din the blood sample usually within 2 or 3 months after the virus enters the body .if a
persons is positive for HCV antibodies ,he or she has been exposed to the virus in the
past. About 15 to 25 percent of people who are initially infected with virus are able to
clear the virus from their bodies, usually within 6 months of exposure .the next step is to
look for the actual virus in the blood stream ,using a test called PCR. if a person was
infected with HCV recently called acute infection, he or she may not yet have antibodies
in which case a PCR test is necessary to confirm infection .

HCV viral load testing

To look for HCV a health care provider can request a qualitative PCR test to determine
whether or not the virus is in a person s blood stream . A health care provider can also
order a quantitative PCR or DNA test to check for the presence of HCV and to figure out
the persons HCV viral load ( the amount of HCV in a measurement of blood )

The HCV viral load is very important laboratory test. Though HCV viral load test cannot
determine if or when someone with hepatitis C will develop cirrhosis or liver failure , it
can help determine how likely it is someone will respond to treatment .a s a rule of
thumb ,the lower the HCV viral load ,the better someones chances of responding to
HCV treatment.

HCV viral load testing is often used during treatment to determine how well therapy is
working.

HCV genotypic testing

Genotype refers to genetic structure or makeup of living organisms. The hepatitis C virus
has more than six different genotypes ,which are numbered in the of their discovery
each of these genotypes has many subtypes which were letters in the order that they
were discovered . it is important to find out which hepatitis C genotypes you have
,because it determines both the type of treatment ;HCV genotype also help to predict
the likelihood of curing HCV.

Worldwide HCV genotype 1 is most common , accounting for 60 percent of cases .in the
united state 75 percent of all HCV infection are genotype1 genotypes 2 ,3 and 4 are
less common ion the US and other genotypes are rare . it is possible to infected with
more than one HCV genotype ;this is most likely among infection drug users ,and
people who received contaminated blood products before 1987( when viral inactivation
started ) , or blood transfusion before 1993 ( when effective screening procedures were
instituted).

IL-28 B genotypic testing

It is a human gene that plays a role in the immune systems s defense against certain
viruses certain inherited changes ,or polymorphism , in the gene have been linked to
higher or lower cure rates I people with HCV genotype1 using one of the most
important drugs used to treat the virus; PEGylated interferon alpha.

Since everyone gets a gene from each parent , a person can have an IL 28 B CC CT
TT genotype e . people with the IL28 b CC genotype are more likely to be cured by
HCV treatment then people with the TT genotype; cure rates among people with the
CT genotype fall somewhere in between. Apparently , the IL 28 B TT genotype is
common among Africans , Americans, it is clearly contributes to lower cure rates .
knowing this information can be helpful full to you and your doctor when discussing
treatment options , especially with new medication that are not effected by the IL 28 B
becoming available .

Liver biopsy

The liver biopsy in HCV infection should be based on the kind of information that is
actually required for an specific patient. The presence and absence of cirrhosis is
clinically related in several cases where treatment with antivirals is well-thought-out. All
features being constant, the occurrence of bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis noticeably
decreases the probable response rate to antiviral treatment. Key changes in probable
consequences are far from minor and will often alter the medical conclusion to treat. In
addition to finding a smaller chance of effective viral removal, the goal of inhibition of
cirrhosis becomes doubtful if cirrhosis is present on pretreatment biopsy. Additional
management changes often authorized by verdict cirrhosis include entry into
observation plans for heaptocellular carcinoma and for esophageal varices.