What are the causes and risk factors for hepatitis C?

Category: Illness
Keywords: risk, factors, hepatitis

Hepatitis C is a severe illness that affects the liver and can lead to serious complications such as liver cancer. Millions of people have the hepatitis C virus in them, but some of them are only experiencing mild symptoms and they can live with it. However, others are seriously affected by this illness and it kills them slowly. If it's not treated it can lead to cirrhosis, and the liver almost stops functioning.

If the hepatitis C has reached an advanced phase or cirrhosis, then it can't be cured, and the purpose of the treatment is to try to slow its progress and reduce the damage it does to the liver.

It is known how the hepatitis C virus can be transmitted from one person to another, but the exact causes of hepatitis C are still not known entirely. Hepatitis C causes the liver to inflammate. There are many viruses that can inflammate the liver if they get into the body. Hepatitis C can be caused by all these viruses, it can't be said that a specific virus causes it, because it's more like a family of viruses.

The hepatitis C virus can be taken from another person who has it in the blood by blood to blood contact with that person. Blood to blood contact can be done by sharing the same needle in an injection, by having unprotected sexual intercourse, by getting a tattoo with a needle that was used on others, or even by using the same razor or toothbrush, if the persons that use it get cut while shaving, or if their gums bleed while tooth brushing.

Alcohol, certain toxic chemicals and drugs are also risk factors because they can inflammate the liver. Sometimes liver inflammation occurs from a medicine overdose, but this doesn't happen too often.

A few cases of hepatitis C appeared because of uncontrolled blood transfusions. The blood from the donor was not checked for the hepatitis C virus. Current laws severely punish this nowadays.

The risk of getting the hepatitis C virus is increased in prisons, where many times the sterilization is inadequate. This can also happen in military institutions, although in modern times inadequate sterilization is prevented as much as possible.

In the past the risk of getting hepatitis C was very increased, because people didn't know much about it, but nowadays the risk of getting hepatitis C from a blood transfusion or from an unsterile needle is almost close to zero in medical institutions. Unfortunately, a lot of people use the same syringe when they take drugs, and more are having unprotected sex. If you stay away from the risk factors mentioned above the chances of becoming infected with the hepatitis C virus substantially decrease.

Permanent Link:
http://www.wuuzi.com/health_item.php/health_item/1559_what_are_the_causes_and_risk_factors_for_hepatitis_c.html

<< Preview Article | Read More | Next Article >>