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. through reused hypodermic needles in drug addicts, needle-stick injuries in medicine or blood transfusions). In rare cases, the virus can also be transmitted from mother to child during birth and sexually transmitted.
Why is there no hepatitis C vaccination?
The hepatitis C virus is characterized by very rapid growth. Numerous mutations occur from generation to generation, which is why the individual viruses differ from each other. The mutations are caused by an inaccurately working enzyme within the viruses, the RNA polymerase.
Altogether, one differentiates between 7 main types of the hepatitis C virus, which in turn can be further subdivided into numerous subgroups (subtypes). In an active vaccination, the patient is injected with killed or attenuated pathogens, whereupon the immune system forms antibodies against the protein structures on the surface. In the case of an infection with hepatitis C viruses, the immune system would thus already be prepared and could fight the invading viruses directly with the antibodies already present. However, due to the high mutation rate of the viruses, the hepatitis C viruses carry altered protein structures on their surface, which is why the immune system cannot fight the viruses immediately. For this reason, the development of a vaccination against hepatitis C viruses is proving difficult and a vaccination is currently not possible.
How else can you protect yourself from hepatitis C?
To protect against infection with hepatitis C viruses, the Permanent Vaccination Commission (STIKO) of the Robert Koch Institute advises numerous preventive measures. These have already led to a decrease in annual HCV infections in Germany. The risk of HCV infection is particularly high among medical personnel.
For this reason, STIKO recommends numerous hygiene measures and protection against needlestick injuries. These include the wearing of double gloves during surgical or invasive procedures, the use of suitable instruments and protective clothing. In addition, all medical personnel are examined for HCV status before starting their work and at regular intervals.
To protect against transmission of HCV through blood products (blood transfusions, organ transplants), all blood products have been tested for the presence of HCV since 1991. As a result, the risk of a transfusion-associated HCV infection has decreased significantly and is currently less than 1:3. 000.
000. Finally, STIKO also advises special measures to be taken when a child is born to an HCV-positive mother. Although the overall risk of HCV transmission at birth is rather low, diagnostic procedures should be avoided before birth and, if necessary, a caesarean section should be performed in case of expected birth injuries or multiple births.