Any body know about Hep c?

Question

My best friend has just been infected with the hep c virus from a patient. Any body know any personal experiences about people infected with this and how I can help her?? I feel useless. Is her partner at risk from kissing?? Can she have children

Answer 1

Yes, she can have children. It is rarely passed from an infected mother to child (less than 8% chance). It is also rarely transmitted through sex unless the sexual practices include cutting, sticking pins or needles into each other, or if the person is co-infected with HIV or HBV. Otherwise, sexual transmission is a 1-3% chance among monogamous partners. It is not passed through bodily fluids, kissing, eating off of someone's fork, or drinking from their cup.
80% of the people infected go on to have chronic infection; 20% or so clear it spontaneously.
There is a treatment which consists of pegylated interferon shots (one per week for either 24 or 48 weeks depending on the genotype) plus ribavirin pills daily. The treatment is a mild form of chemotherapy, so there are side effects that can make you feel yukky, but you can work while on this treatment. I am a teacher of preschoolers with special needs, and worked through my treatment. My treatment was successful, and I've been cleared of the virus for over 6 years now. It was worth it and I'd do it again.
If your friend is sure her exposure was recent, I would suggest her having a PCR test to see if she is not one of the lucky 20% who's bodies clear it spontaneously. If that occurs, it usually occurs within the first 6-12 months, during the acute infection stage. If it's been longer than that, then she will need treatment. The earlier it is treated, the more likely it is she will respond. Some people wait years to treat, but then the virus progresses (albeit slowly in some people, but there's no way to tell how it will affect her) and causes scarring of the liver called fibrosis. My advice is to treat it early while the viral levels are low and scarring is minimal or hasn't occurred yet.
Best wishes to your friend. By the way, I have two children, neither have the virus.

Answer 2

There is someone I know who has hep C. Be careful not to share anything like nail clippers or razors etc. Unlike HIV the Hep C virus lives on in the blood after it is dried so dried blood on a razor could infect someone else if they used it and cut themselves. It is possible to infect your partner through sex and I imagine there are some precautions but that it would still be possible to have kids. As for kissing, if there are any sores or bleeding then it can be passed through the mouth.
Alcohol and other hepatitis viruses are associated with faster progression of the disease so avoid alcohol and to get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B. At present, vaccines are unavailable for HCV and HEV.
There is a drug called interferon which has helped some people. Depends on which strain. It has lots of side effects and makes you feel awful. I know 3 people who have done it tho and seem fine. (By the rate they drink anyway.)
These pages will give you more info:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/c/

http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/research/topics/hepatitis/hepcfacts.htm

Answer 3

Kissing will not transmit hep c it is transmitted only through blood. Perinatal transmission from mothers with the hepatitis C vius (HCV) to their infants before or during birth occurs less than 5% of the time. Whether or not transmission occurs may depend on the presence of high levels of HCV in the mother’s blood. Some studies have shown that HCV is present in breast milk, but breast-feeding is believed to be safe. Although sexual transmission appears to be rare, you can reduce the risk by practicing safer sex, including the use of condoms and barriers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if you are in a stable, long-term monogamous relationship you do not need to change your current sexual practices, although partners should discuss safer sex options if either partner is concerned about transmission. If a woman has HCV, avoid sex during monthly periods. Proper dental hygiene can prevent bleeding gums, another possible transmission route. There is not much you can do for her except be a friend! Be there to support her and be a shoulder to lean on!!

Answer 4

Hep c has an incubation of 21-140 days (7 wk)
90% go on to develop chronic hep
#1 cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer
She needs rest, diet high in CHO and calories but low in fat and protein. She should take a med called Inferon. she should stay away from alcohol and aceteminophen.
Make sure she takes the prophlactic drugs they give in the hospital, and the only way this is spread is skin/mucous membrane exposure with blood or serum.

Answer 5

Hepatitis C is the most common liver disease currently seen in clinical practice. The incubation period, from the time of exposure to the virus until the onset of the disease, is one to six months. Early symptoms include poor appetite, lack of interest in food, nausea, aching muscles and joints, and light fever. Some people experience only mild symptoms such as tiredness, periodical pressure below the right ribs caused by the enlarging liver, and aching muscles and joints. Only 1 in 10 patients with acute Hepatitis has symptoms. The remaining nine have no symptoms whatsoever. In 8 out of 10 patients, the infection becomes chronic.

Many patients remain asymptomatic until decompensation occurs. Lack of symptoms and minor liver enzyme elevations are typical of HCV infection and cannot be taken as evidence of lack of progression. HCV RNA testing confirms the diagnosis. Liver biopsy helps assess disease activity and stage the severity of fibrosis and is recommended for most patients with hepatitis C. Once this information is obtained, a rational program for treatment and monitoring can be planned. Patients with newly discovered hepatitis C infection require thorough education about the disease's natural history, transmission, interaction with alcohol, and treatment. In many cases, referral to a gastroenterologist or hepatologist may be the appropriate way to ensure necessary instruction and availability of the latest treatment options.

People who have a mild case of hepatitis C may only need to manage it by visiting their doctor regularly and following their doctor's recommendations--such as eating a nutritious diet, avoiding alcohol (because of its impact on the liver), and getting regular exercise.

For people with more severe hepatitis C, however, drug therapy may be needed. A drug called interferon is the mainstay of conventional treatment. Interferon is often combined with an antiviral (virus-fighting) drug called ribavirin. Such combination therapies are usually taken for 6 months to 1 year. Approximately 55 percent of patients treated with the combination of interferon and ribavirin for 1 year will achieve a sustained response (that is, a sustained benefit from treatment).1 If a patient does not achieve a sustained response, his doctor may decide whether another course of treatment (re-treatment) is appropriate.

Combination regimens benefit many patients. However, their side effects can be difficult for some patients to tolerate. These side effects can include flu-like symptoms (such as body aches, fever, chills, and fatigue); nausea and other gastrointestinal problems; hair loss; emotional changes; skin reactions; and, in more severe cases, depression, organ damage, blood conditions, and other problems.

Hepatitis C is spread from person to person through exposure to infected blood. In the majority of people, the infection stays in the body for several years (known as a chronic infection) and slowly damages the liver.

Answer 6

very common in prison from needle sharing and unsafe sex. a percentage of those infected go on to develop chronic hepatitis or liver cancer years later. Its very transmissible in blood and body fluids, much more than aids or hep B. Kissing isnt a risk that ive heard of. there is a treatment for it.