What if you have hepatitis C virus?

The article was professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi Nhat - Infectious Disease Specialist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital

Hepatitis C is one of the infectious diseases with a high mortality rate, but it progresses silently and is difficult to detect. Currently, there are a number of improved supportive measures that are significantly effective in inhibiting and eliminating this virus.

Hepatitis C is a serious liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). This is one of the five main types of hepatitis: Hepatitis A, hepatitis B and C, D, E. The disease is transmitted from a carrier of the hepatitis C virus to a healthy person by 3 routes: blood, sexual and mother passes it on to her baby through the placenta during birth. Hepatitis C is one of the 10 leading causes of death from infectious diseases in the world with subsequent cirrhosis and liver cancer. Vietnam is a country located in an area with high prevalence of viruses, especially hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. Long-term untreated hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis and if the condition is not treated, it can lead to cirrhosis. If cirrhosis is not properly treated, the risk of liver failure and liver cancer is very high. Besides, the hepatitis C virus in addition to attacking and destroying the liver, the complications of the disease also affect other parts and systems in the body. Because while infected with hepatitis C virus, the body forms antibodies to fight, it is this antibody that causes harmful reactions to other organs of the body such as: kidney damage, numbness, itching and pain. pain due to nerve damage, joint pain, skin redness, ulcers. In addition, hepatitis C can also increase the risk of developing other diseases including diabetes, depression...

Co-infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a common but understudied condition, particularly in endemic areas. Interactions occur between the two viruses both at the virological level and, more importantly, at the pathogenicity level. There, viral co-infection promotes disease progression and increases the risk of HCC. Studies demonstrate that hepatitis B and hepatitis C can interact. Patients coinfected with hepatitis B and hepatitis C showed lower levels of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus in their blood compared with study subjects infected with a single virus.

Hepatitis C, whether in the acute stage or the chronic stage, can be cured, as long as the patient always adheres to the treatment regimen of a specialist.
In the acute stage: The goal of treatment is to reduce and prevent the risk of the disease developing into a chronic one. In fact, sick people have the ability to recover on their own if the body produces enough antibodies to fight the virus, but these cases are not many. It is important that patients need to strengthen their immunity to be able to repel the hepatitis C virus more effectively.
In the chronic stage: It can still be cured if detected and intervened early before complications arise. At this stage, doctors will usually prescribe antiviral treatment to clear the virus from the body.
In addition to the above treatment, at both stages, the patient also needs to do a few things:
Eat enough Eating enough will help people with hepatitis C feel better and have enough strength to fight the disease. Therefore, patients should not be excessively abstinent, causing the body to lack substances that adversely affect the liver. In the daily meal, it is necessary to balance between protein, sugar, fat and vitamins and minerals. However, hepatitis C patients also need to limit eating too much bad cholesterol such as: animal organs, fatty foods, egg yolks, etc. Because of the ability to excrete bile in hepatitis C patients. If you don't fully digest the fat, it will cause more serious liver damage.
Give up habits that harm the liver In addition to taking medicine under the guidance of experts, having a nutritious diet, hepatitis C patients should limit and it is best to give up these habits completely. used to adversely affect the liver. Specifically, the patient needs to abstain from: alcohol, beer, tobacco; do not stay up late; limit constipation; do not hold urine ... are important things that contribute to slow the progression of the disease.

Primary Prevention
There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C, so the risk of infection can be reduced by:
Avoiding unnecessary and unsafe injections. Do not share needles, toothbrushes, razors, nail clippers,... or anything that could have blood on them. Only piercing, tattooing, acupuncture, etc. should only be done at reputable places with sterile instruments. Avoid unsafe collection and disposal of sharps waste. Avoid using illegal drugs and sharing injection equipment. Practice safe sex, use condoms and carefully clean sex equipment. Female patients with hepatitis C should not have sex during menstruation to avoid infecting their partners. In case the husband and wife before deciding to have children need to be tested to determine if anyone is infected with hepatitis C, during pregnancy, the mother also needs to be regularly examined. For children of school age, parents should remind and instruct their children to avoid spreading diseases from other children. Secondary and tertiary prevention
For people infected with hepatitis C virus education and counseling about options for care and treatment. Get vaccinated with hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines to prevent coinfection from these viruses to protect your liver. Early and appropriate management and treatment including antiviral therapy if indicated. Regular monitoring to detect chronic liver disease early, avoid many complications. When hepatitis is suspected, especially for women who are about to become pregnant, patients need to go to reputable medical facilities for examination.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has Hepatobiliary Screening packages, which help detect Hepatitis Virus at an early stage even when there are no symptoms. Comprehensive hepatobiliary screening package helps customers:
Assess the liver's ability to work through liver enzyme tests; Evaluation of bile function; vascular nutrition; Early screening for liver cancer; Perform tests such as: Total blood cell analysis, blood clotting ability, screening for hepatitis B and C; Assessment of hepatobiliary status through ultrasound images and diseases that have the potential to affect liver disease / make liver disease worse; In-depth analysis of parameters to evaluate hepatobiliary function through laboratory and subclinical; the risk of affecting the liver and early screening for hepatobiliary cancer. In addition, when examining or treating patients at Vinmec International General Hospital, patients will be performed by a team of experienced doctors, the procedures are performed seriously, and people are regularly urged. check, and at the same time keep up to date with the latest processes and regulations in the world. Patients will be cared for wholeheartedly, rested in a high-class hospital room, designed according to international hotel standards, friendly staff, and comfortable facilities like at home.