Hepatitis c is a contagious liver disease caused by the hepatitis c virus hcv which is found in the blood of persons who have the disease. The purpose of this booklet is to let you know what it means to have hepatitis c and what you can do to keep your liver healthy. Hepatitis c virus hcv infection, a major cause of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, is predominantly transmit ted by exposure to blood or body fluids. Some people feel overwhelmed by the changes that they may need to make in their lives. Hepatitis c virus hcv is a major cause of liver diseases including liver. Hepatitis c virus develop a chronic, or lifelong, infection. Cdc en espanol enfermedades y afecciones, hepatitis viral. Hepatitis viral c hepatitis c virus infection pedro a. The hepatitis c virus hcv is a major cause of hepatitis acute and chronic and cirrhosis the world over. Not only does viral hepatitis carry a high morbidity, but it also stresses medical resources and can have severe economic consequences. Most persons who acquire hepatitis c virus hcv will develop chronic infection. When someone is first infected with the hepatitis c virus, they can have a very mild illness with few or no symptoms or a serious condition requiring hospitalization. Hepatitis c prevencion, sintomas y tratamiento en cuidateplus.
It is a major public health issue in the united states and worldwide. Hepatitis c, a common chronic bloodborne infection, is found in approximately 2 percent of adults in the united states. Over the past 15 years, the incidences of hepatitis a and b virus infection in the united states have declined significantly. For reasons that are not known, less than half of people who get hepatitis c. When someone is first infected with the hepatitis c virus, they can have a very mild illness with. Chronic infection is associated with serious morbidity and mortality e. In the process of trying to rid your body of the hcv infection, t he immune system actually kills infected liver cells. Understanding the general properties of hepatitis c virus hcv.
Nih national institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases and national library of medicine. During this process, parts of the virus trigger your immune system into action. Hepatitis c is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis c virus. When first infected, a person can develop an acute infection, which. Not only does viral hepatitis carry a high morbidity, but it also stresses medical resources. Introduction viral hepatitis, refers to infections that affect the liver and are caused by viruses. Pdf hepatitis c virus hcv infects an estimated 170 million persons worldwide and thus represents a viral pandemic, one that is five times as. Hepatitis c is a contagious liver disease that results from infection with the hepatitis c virus. Now the most common cause of cirrhosis in the united states pubmed health glossary source.
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