Hepatitis c, so deadly why not more research and education?
595442
I agree completely with your sentiments. I'm a researcher working on HepC and we could use all the help we can get. I think there are two main answers to your question. 1) Prior to the summer of 2005 there was no way to grow HepC virus in tissue culture, so it was a difficult virus to study in the lab. The only animal model system was infection in chimpanzees. Thankfully there are now isolates that can be grown in the lab and research will progress much faster. 2) The clinical course of HepC infection is not as dramatic as some other diseases. It can be 20 years or more from the time you are infected to the time you develop symptoms. Additionally, since current therapy is only about 50% effective, expensive, and has uncomfortable side effects, there is not a whole lot of motivation to screen and treat those with assymptomatic infections. Here too we hope to see progress and there are drugs such as protease inibitors which are currently in clinical trials.
459084
If HCV means Hepatitis C virus, then this might help: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatitis_C
1012785
Where there is good public education, along with free condoms and free needle exchange, the spread of HIV drops to near zero. But of course, we MUST oppose things like that because they "send the wrong message". We must continue to make "sinful" behavior like needle drug use and sex as dangerous as possible, so that those who "stray from the straight and narrow" are punished, punished, punished. \n\nThat it is in our best interest in a worldly, financial sense, to prevent, rather than deal with, HIV infections is irrelevant. All that matters is that "rules are rules" and those who break them must be made to suffer horribly.
1138715
HEPATITIS C is contracted through blood-to-blood contact. Things to ask: Risky sex, acupuncture without proper autoclaving of needles (ask if needles are disposable-safest), Tattooing with repeat needle use, Using someone elses razor, needle stick of used needle,.There are vaccinations for hep. A, and hep. B, but none for Hep. C.  There are, however, treatments. Hep. C may lie dormant for years, so early detection is best if you suspect you've been infected. There are more behaviors that cause C., so I would suggest that you research yourself. Call your local health dept., and they will provide you with all the information you need. They will advise you as to whether you should be tested. Contact your physician, too\n\nAsking or answering any medical question online, is very dangerous. You will find that laymen, or people who are not qualified to do either, will anyway. They don't seem to get  the picture of possibly putting someone in great medical danger. There is no substitute for education. One of my concerns is that many of these people think that they really do know what they're talking about, and you are likely to choose an answer from one of them, and take their advise. So, I would advise anyone reading this to stop giving unprofessional opinions, as that is all they are. Remember, as well, that giving medical advise without a license, is a federal offense.Even as a professional, I give nothing but direction. This is not my field. That's why I suggested that you get your answers from the ones who are better qualified.
1053989
Sounds like that Liberian Minister of Scratchflopp who needs your bank account number to bring his millions here.\nWe're being killed because stupid politicians allowed, for the first time in recorded history, the existence of a fatal infectious condition to be kept secret.\nWe have no cure for ANY viral disease yet; just a couple vaccines for a few strains. \nWhy stop research? Ignorance isn't bliss, it's death, dummy.
736908
Hepatitis B is highly sexually transmitted. It is very possible to pass it onto the mother, who could in turn pass it onto the child. There is post exposure medication that could be given, but it would have to be given within a certain time frame.  The mother would have to be tested to see if she has HBV, and then to see if it is chronic, or if it resolved on it's own.  80% of people who become exposed to it clear it on their own. The rest go on to have chronic liver disease and will need treatment.  Treatment can help people clear it, but I'm not sure what the success rate is (I'm more familiar with Hep C statistics). Best wishes.
1076421
I was told I had hepatitis C, about 30 years ago. I was young,and did not care. So far, no problems. maybe I am just lucky.
1031007
Hepatitis C is chronic and not curable, I am sorry to say.  I do not understand your statment that she has a Child Score of 10.  There is no such thing as a complete cure.  Hepatitis C is a viral disease that attacks the liver cells, causing them to die and to form fibrotic areas within the liver itself.  The scarring damages the liver, and although the liver is able to regenerate, the scars cause the liver to fail eventually by impeding  the flow of bile and blood throughout the liver tissue.  The patient becomes jaundiced and develops fluid retention in the legs and abdomen.  They lose muscle mass and look wasted.  They develop varicose veins inside their esophagus and these will often bleed.  These people are very ill.
985951
Takes some time for liver enzymes to elevate, could be several months to years. Hep.C. is transmitted via blood. Good time to use condoms :-)
676770
Possitive attitude helps him not to worsen, and ribavirin, interferon and etc etc can help the virus to stop reproducing, so he can keep a liver until his oldest age.\n\nI think there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, if you don't want to get that too, you should rather use condoms.
722189
There is actually a great deal of research on malaria being done across the US, including at the CDC- Malaria also effects "Western" countries, but we can no better control it in Western countries than in any country.  As far as the amount of money being spent on this as opposed to other, less globally deadly, diseases: The government, and private charities, which fund research have to explain why the limited amount of funds for research are going here, there or the other place.  If malaria is not a major concern in, for example, Germany, it is difficult for the German Government to justify why the funds are going into malaria research and not (for example) more research on breast cancer or stroke or heart disease, which are more serious health concerns in Germany.  The UN is a better venue for deciding on worldwide research priorities based upon total global death and disability statistics, but the UN has a relatively tiny medical research budget.  Big pharmaceutical companies are not particularly interested because there isnt a large population of wealthy people with this disease, so the potential profits would be limited (this being said, there is research ongoing at a number of pharma companies on malaria).  And there you have it- Researchers are limited by what we can get grants for-individual governments have to address health concerns of the individual country's population (understandable), charity organizations are funded by wealthy donors who are afflicted by other diseases (hard to blame them), the UN has a tiny research budget, and there isnt a big profit motive for big  pharma.
561600
a lot. because you can only make a good vaccine against viral diseases and some bactieria, most of the uncurable diseases are genetic or result from a defective receptor so we cant really make a good drug for them.
197349
Yes, you can live as long as any one else, if you get good medical care.  The test is Anti-HCV.  Here's the thing Hep C is a virus, it will always be in your body. Your body creates antibodies to combat the virus.  So there is a constant war going on in our bodies everyday.  When your immune system is compromised by yet another infectious agent then you may start to see signs and symptoms of Hep C again.  You were most probably treated for Acute case of Hep C, but you will always carry the antibodies in your bloodstream. Check out http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/c/faq.htm#2a\n\nGood Luck :)
1041954
Hello..Ignore the unserious answer of your question.The problem with Hepatitis C is reallly deserving attention. Actually,if it's chronical( as I got) you will have the hepatitis virus whole your life.You must net be ashemed of it,because it's not transmitted only sexually(only 5-10%),but through the blood,it's not supposed that you was a junkey,etc.The treatment is not a cure and have many side effects,it's provided only in specialized clinics and is based in the INTERFERONE injections.The best way to keep your liver functions well is to eat not just healthy ,but applying the special diet for liver problems,no alcohol,no coffee,no black tea..Wish you luck!
467445
I don't think so. You aren't allowed to have any type of permanent blood-borne disease, so I would think that hepatitis C would DQ someone. You don't want medics afraid to do thier work on the battlefield because of fear of HIV/hepC ect, and likewise you don't want to worry about that medic having those diseases either.
439623
Health Care is a big problem for me, I have no health care and am a diabetic. I don't take all the medicines that I should to help control it because it is so expensive. It should be controled at worst so that it don't get so out of hand as it is now. I think it might help the research end because there would not be as huge a profit to just treat a disese. It would be better to cure it.
138288
Currently available Hepatitis C treatment includes Pegylated Interferon - an immunomodulator (stimulated the immune system) and Ribavirin (a nucleoside agent - unknown mechanism). Pegylated Interferon is taken once weekly via subcutaneous injection and the ribavirin is taken orally, usually twice a day (dose varies based upon body weight and HCV genotype).\n\nThere are several Hepatitis C genotypes or varietes of HCV. Genotypes 1 and 4 generally require longer treatment (usually a minimum of 48 weeks) while genotypes 2 and 3 can be treated for 6 months or less - new studies have examined 14 or 16 week regimens.\n\nInterferon can be difficult to tolerate - it causes tiredness, muscle aches, decreased blood cells to name a few side effects. Ribavirin can also cause side effects and sometimes the dose needs to be reduced.\n\nThe liklihood of response is around 50% for genotypes 1 and 4 (meaning that about half the people treated for 48 weeks will clear the Hepatitis C virus). For genotypes 2 and 3, the response rates are higher and can approach 90% (many more people are able to clear the virus.\n\nFactors such as genotypes 1 or 4, high viral load (amount of virus in the body), alcohol use, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), older age, male sex, and heavey body weight may contribute to a worse response.\n\nThere are investigational agents currently being studies, including VX950 and SCH 503034 (HCV protease inhibitors) as well as polymerase nucleoside inhibitors (NM283 or valopicitabine). Currently, these are all being studied in combination with Pegylated Interferon. Contact an academic medical center or visit http://www.clinicaltrials.gov to find studies for which you may be eligible.\n\nIf you need treatment, be sure to get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, and take your medication EXACTLY as prescribed. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any side effects.