HEPATITIS C

What is hepatitis?
   
   The name is from the Greek hepar(ἧπαρ), the root being hepat-
  (ἡπατ-),
meaning liver.
 
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. There are many
causes of hepatitis. For example,
 
drinking too much alcohol,
various drugs and chemicals, and also several different viruses
can cause hepatitis.
 
So far there is:
A,
B,
C,
D,
E....!!!

It’s a ‘public health time-bomb’.

Hepatitis C has been emerging as a major
problem
 

The exact number of people infected is not known.

 
An estimated 270-300 million people worldwide are infected with
hepatitis C, many of them don’t know.
(2-3% of the world's population are persistently infected)
There are up to 4 million Americans predicted to be infected with
hepatitis c.
More than 400,000 people in the UK with the virus, but only about
70,000 have been diagnosed. 185,000 individuals in the UK are
chronically infected with hepatitis C (HCV).
 
 Most cases are in people who inject illegal drugs.
It is estimated that up to half of injecting drug users become infected
with hepatitis C.
Where is all happens -
The liver
The liver is a key organ, it’s the size of a football and it
sits under the rib cages on the right side and it is
protected by the ribs.
It is the filter of the body.
It not only filters toxics but it also manufactures a lot of
important proteins that keep our body stable
When the liver starts to go bad the patients body
changes, their hormones are not handled correctly their
electrolytes, they start swelling when the liver can not
remove the toxins they start getting confused and they
get to a point where we say they can not live any more
with this liver we need to give them a new liver and that’s
what we call liver transplantation.
Getting a new liver –
liver transplantation
For some people with advanced cirrhosis, liver
transplantation may be an option. Although this is a major
operation, the outlook following a liver transplant can be
very good.
 
Estimated First-Year Charge: $314,600
£195,273
Estimated Annual Follow-up Charge: $21,900
…………………………………………£13,594
The symptoms and signs of hepatitis c

Jaundice
Mild fever
Muscle and Joint Aches
Nausea
Loss of Appetite
Abdominal pain

This infection may continue for years and eventually resulting

in scarring of the liver tissue called cirrhosis.

Liver cancer can also develop in later stages.

 
How can you catch this virus ?
Blood products
The main source of infection is from blood from an infected person.
 
Most cases are caused by using contaminated needles or injecting equipment ('sharing needles').
 
Some people who received blood transfusions or blood prior to 1991 were infected with hepatitis C
from some donor blood. Since 1991 all blood and blood products donated in the UK are screened
for the hepatitis C virus.
 
There is a small risk of contracting the virus from sharing toothbrushes, razors, and other such items
which may be contaminated with blood.

The virus can live outside the body for at least two weeks.

There is even a small risk from inhaling drugs like cocaine, as these can make the inside of your
nose bleed. If that happens, tiny spots of blood can fall on to the note you are using and, if that is
used by someone else, your blood can travel up their nose and into their bloodstream.
 
 
Source of infection for people with hepatitis C
hepatitis c age distrubution total

aged between 41
and over
aged between 26
and 40
aged between 18
and 25
Diagnosis

 
A simple blood test can detect antibodies to the hepatitis C virus
in your blood.
 
(Antibodies are proteins made by the immune system to attack
viruses, bacteria etc.)
 
A positive test means that you have at some stage been infected
with hepatitis C.

The diagnosis of hepatitis C is rarely made during the acute

phase of the disease, because the majority of people infected
experience no symptoms during this phase.
What are the impacts of hepatitis c on surgical staff?

• Needle stick injury

• An RCN survey of 4,407 nurses, carried out in November 2008, found that:

(48%) had been stuck by a needle or sharp that had previously been used on a patient

(52%) fear needle stick injuries

nearly a half (45%) of nurses reported they have not received training from their employer on safe needle use

Unreported needle stick injuries

40% were not reported

Approximately 100 000 needle stick injuries currently occur each year in the UK
(Godfrey, 2001)

In the USA, the number of needle stick injuries was estimated to be one million per year
Timing of needle stick injuries
Is the impact the same here as it is in the USA? Why or
why not?
What is predicted to happen in the future? Why?

• Routine national data sources in all UK countries show

that hepatitis C-related deaths, transplants and hospital
admissions are continuing to rise

• Knowledge and adherence to taught practice may still be

deficient despite training and education due to insufficient
information retention