Introduction Currently there is no vaccine available against the virus. To protect against infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), numerous preventive measures are recommended by the Standing Commission on Vaccination (STIKO) of the Robert Koch Institute. Approximately 150 million people worldwide are infected with HCV. The virus is often transmitted via the blood (e.g. … Hepatitis C vaccination
Is a hepatitis C vaccination in prospect? In recent years, much research has been done to develop a vaccine against Hepatitis C. Many data have shown that an HCV vaccination is possible in principle. However, the development of a suitable vaccine is still difficult. Research is often carried out on the development of so-called combination … Is a hepatitis C vaccination in prospect? | Hepatitis C vaccination
Definition – What is the hepatitis C virus? The hepatitis C virus belongs to the group of Flaviviridae and is a so-called RNA virus. It causes an inflammation of the liver tissue (hepatitis). There are different genotypes of the hepatitis C virus, which have different genetic material. The determination of the genotype is important for … Hepatitis C Virus
How does the virus spread? The virus can be transmitted through various infection routes. In almost half of the cases, however, the source or route of infection is unknown. However, the main route of transmission of the virus is parenterally (i.e. immediately through the digestive or gastrointestinal tract). This is often done by so-called “needle … How does the virus spread? | Hepatitis C Virus
What effect does the viral load have on the risk of infection? In contrast to liver cell damage, HCV viral load correlates with infectivity or risk of infection. This means that the higher the viral load in the blood, the higher the probability of the virus being transmitted to the environment. Conversely, the risk of … What effect does the viral load have on the risk of infection? | Hepatitis C Virus
Introduction Hepatitis C can manifest itself through various symptoms. Some sufferers feel a feeling of pressure in the right upper abdomen, in others the skin turns yellowish (jaundice). Some people who have become infected with hepatitis C even remain symptom-free. The following article provides an overview of the most common symptoms of hepatitis C. Frequency … Symptoms of Hepatitis C
Jaundice as a symptom of hepatitis C Jaundice is also called icterus in medical terminology. It is a yellow coloration of the skin, mucous membrane and sclera (white part of the eyes). The coloration is caused by the fact that the so-called bilirubin is deposited there. The liver is an important organ in the metabolism … Jaundice as a symptom of hepatitis C | Symptoms of Hepatitis C
Loss of performance in hepatitis C The loss of performance refers primarily to the decrease in physical capacity. In hepatitis C, this is mainly due to the reduced metabolic performance of the liver. On the one hand, the food that the affected person ingests is not properly metabolized. As a result, significantly fewer nutrients enter … Loss of performance in hepatitis C | Symptoms of Hepatitis C
Itching in hepatitis C Cirrhosis of the liver is a secondary disease of hepatitis C. The chronic damage to the liver leads to the destruction of liver cells. At the same time, the liver tissue is remodeled so that more and more fibrous structures develop. This remodelling means that a lot of connective tissue is … Itching in hepatitis C | Symptoms of Hepatitis C
Autoimmune disease in hepatitis C Hepatitis C infection also increases the risk of autoimmune diseases such as Cryoglobulinemia (especially with genotype 2) Panarteriitis nodosa Sjögren’s syndrome Immune complex glomerulonephritis Cryoglobulinemia (especially with genotype 2) Panarteritis nodosa Sjögren’s Syndrome Immunocomplex Glomerulonephritis All articles in this series: Symptoms of Hepatitis C Jaundice as a symptom of hepatitis … Autoimmune disease in hepatitis C | Symptoms of Hepatitis C
Introduction The hepatitis C virus triggers dangerous inflammation of the liver, which is usually chronic and progressive. In Germany about 0.3% of the population is infected with hepatitis C. Due to early diagnoses, good results are possible today with modern treatment options. In many cases, the disease can be cured before it becomes chronic. In … Hepatitis C Test
How reliable are the tests? In combination, the search and confirmation tests have a very high accuracy. In all circumstances of a common infection with the hepatitis C virus, both tests can provide a reliable diagnosis. Only rare concomitant circumstances or factors can influence the accuracy of the test. These include immunosuppression, for example. In … How reliable are the tests? | Hepatitis C Test
