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01986.txt
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1994-01-17
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$Unique_ID{BRK01986}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{What is Hepatitis C?}
$Subject{Hepatitis C disease diseases illness illnesses sick sickness treat
treated treatment treatments cure cures cured virus viruses cause causes
caused causing type types A infectious B serum transmit transmits transmitted
transition food handler handlers wash washing clean cleaning contaminate
contaminated Gamma Globulin immune immunity blood vaccinate vaccination
vaccinations Non-A non-B test tests testing sex sexual sexually transfusion
transfusions interferon liver livers side effect effects drug drugs abuse
abuser abusers needle needles}
$Volume{}
$Log{}
Copyright (c) 1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
What is Hepatitis C?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTION: I am a single 22 year old female diagnosed as having contracted
Hepatitis C. I have been told it is a fairly new disease and my doctor
doesn't know much about it. I need to know what to do and hope you can tell
me where it came from and what I must do to get treated or cured. I would
appreciate any information you can give me.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWER: The number of viruses that cause hepatitis does seem to be growing.
There are now definitely 5 types and perhaps a 6th may also exist. There used
to be but two, type "A" also known as infectious hepatitis, and "B" which was
called serum hepatitis. "A" type was often transmitted from human to human
through unclean practices, by food handlers who didn't wash properly after
using the bathroom, or by eating contaminated food. It can be treated by
using Gamma Globulin which confers a passive immunity. The "B" type is
transmitted through the blood, by drug abusers using contaminated needles, as
well as sexually. There is now a vaccination available that may wipe out the
disease within a generation. Another strange type of hepatitis exists that
was neither type "A" nor type "B", for which their was neither a diagnostic
test nor a cure. It was called "Non-A, non-B" until scientists found a way of
identifying it and changed its name to Hepatitis "C". But the test is not
able to identify the virus' presence every time. It is estimated that about
170,000 people are infected with this virus, and it is not always certain just
how they acquired the disease. Though in some cases it seems sure that the
route of transmission is sexual, many others have picked up the disease from
blood transfusions. Many infected people seem to be successful men and women
around the age of 40 who experimented with intravenous drugs in their early
twenties. The only drug currently available to treat Hepatitis "C" is
interferon, which is used in patients with chronic Hepatitis "C" when it
begins to attack their livers. The treatment is far from perfect as there are
many side effects, but it can completely cure the patient in about 20 percent
of the cases.
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.