An Overview of Hepatitis C Viral Infection and Its Management Options

Abstract

Hepatitis C is an infectious disease of viral origin primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV).The infection is usually subclinical/ asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis leading to liver failure, hepato cellular carcinoma or life-threatening esophageal and gastric varices. The route of acquiring infection is by an exposure to blood or blood products. The virus persists in the liver in about 85% of those infected patients. Persistent infection can be treated with various anti viral medications like peginterferon and ribavirin. Theseare amongstthe current standard therapy. Overall cure rate is between 51-80%. Those who develop cirrhosis or liver cancer may require a liver transplant, and the virus universally recurs after transplantation