Definition
Hepatitis C is an inflammatory disease that affects the liver.
To be more precise, hepatitis C can be defined as an infectious disease of viral origin. Infection can develop both in acute form (even if this occurs in the minority of cases), and in chronic form.
Causes
Hepatitis C is caused by an RNA virus belonging to the Flavivirus family, known as hepatitis C or HCV virus.
The hepatitis C virus is transmitted through direct contact with the blood of infected individuals.
The behaviors that increase the risk of contracting HCV are the promiscuous use of infected needles or syringes (as can happen, for example, among drug addicts), the execution of tattoos or piercings with non-sterile instruments, sexual intercourse does not protected with occasional partners who may be infected by the virus and accidental contact with the blood infected by the virus (this can happen especially in the case of health personnel or emergency medical assistance).
Also - although rarely - infants whose mothers are infected with hepatitis C can contract the virus during childbirth. While the virus is not transmitted during fertilization by the possibly infected father.
Symptoms
Often, hepatitis C, both in acute and in chronic form, is asymptomatic. This is why this condition can take years and even decades before giving relevant clinical manifestations, so before being diagnosed.
If hepatitis C is symptomatic, symptoms such as generalized malaise, fever, weakness, stomach ache, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle and joint pain, skin itching and jaundice may arise.
Furthermore, chronic hepatitis C can lead to serious and potentially fatal complications, such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Diet
Information on Hepatitis C - Hepatitis C Treatment Drugs is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Hepatitis C - Hepatitis C Treatment Medicines.
drugs
Similar to other types of hepatitis, acute hepatitis C tends to regress spontaneously, since in most cases the immune system of the infected individual is able to defeat the virus by itself.
However, acute hepatitis C occurs only in 20% of patients; the remaining 80% of individuals who contract HCV develop a chronic type of infection that is likely to progress to liver cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Therefore, when chronic hepatitis C is diagnosed, it is necessary to use drugs.
Interferons
Interferons are proteins normally produced by our immune system when the presence of dangerous agents such as viruses, bacteria, parasites and even cancer cells is detected.
Interferon-based medicines contain these proteins and their job is to stimulate the patients' immune system to help them eliminate HCV infection in this case.
Among the interferons used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, we find:
- Natural alpha interferon (Alfaferone ®): although the optimal dosage of chronic hepatitis C treatment has not yet been established, the dose of interferon natural alpha normally used is 3 million IU, to be administered three times per week subcutaneously, for a period of up to 6 months. Natural alpha interferon can be used in combination with ribavirin (an antiviral drug that will be described below).
- Interferon alfa-2a (Roferon-A ®): the dose of medication usually administered for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C is 3-6 million IU, to be administered subcutaneously three times a week, for a period of 6-12 months.
- Interferon alfa-2b (IntronA ®): for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in adults, the usual dose of drug is 3 million IU, to be administered subcutaneously three times a week, alone or in combination with ribavirin for orally. In children over three years of age and in adolescents, on the other hand, the usual drug dose is 3 million IU / m2 of body surface area, to be administered subcutaneously three times a week, in combination with oral ribavirin.
- Peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys ®): peginterferon alfa-2a is always given in combination with ribavirin or other drugs in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. The usual drug dose is 180 micrograms, to be administered subcutaneously once a week. When used together with ribavirin, peginterferon alfa-2a can also be used in patients with both chronic hepatitis C and HIV at the same time. The dose of ribavirin to be administered varies according to the body weight of the patients.
- Peginterferon alfa-2b (PegIntron ®, ViraferonPeg ®): when used alone, the dose of drug usually used in adults is 0.5-1 micrograms / kg of body weight, to be administered once a week subcutaneously. When used in combination therapy, on the other hand, the dose of peginterferon alfa-2b usually given in adults is 1.5 micrograms / kg of body weight once a week.
Antivirals
The antiviral drugs used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C have the task of counteracting and possibly eradicating the virus responsible for the infection.
Among the antivirals used in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, we find:
- Ribavirin (Ribavirin Three Rivers ®, Ribavirin Teva ®, Rebetol ®): this antiviral drug is always used in combination with other medicines, such as interferon alfa (natural, 2a and 2b) and peginterferon alfa (2a and 2b) and can be used either in the treatment of adult patients (including those with HIV), and in the treatment of pediatric patients. Ribavirin is administered orally, during meals, in doses ranging from 600 mg to 1400 mg depending on the patient's body weight.
- Boceprevir (Victrelis ®): this drug should always be used in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin. The dose of boceprevir usually used is 2.4 grams per day, to be taken orally with food in three divided doses.
- Telaprevir (Incivo ®): this drug should also always be taken in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin. The usual administered telaprevir dose is 2.25 grams per day, to be taken orally with food in two or three divided doses.
- Sofosbuvir (Sovaldi ®): this antiviral should never be used alone, but always in combination with ribavirin, or in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin. The dose of sofosbuvir usually used is 400 mg a day, to be taken by mouth with food.
- Daclatasvir (Daklinza ®): this drug should be used in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin, or in combination with sofosbuvir. The dose of daclatasvir usually administered orally is 60 mg a day, to be taken with or without food.
- Simeprevir (Olysio ®): the recommended dose is 150 mg a day, to be taken by mouth with food. Also in this case, the drug should not be administered alone, but always in combination with other drugs for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.
It should be remembered that all patients with hepatitis C (whether acute or chronic) should avoid alcohol consumption and the use of paracetamol, ibuprofen, acetylsalicylic acid and other drugs that can further fatigue the liver already put to the test by the disease .
Unlike what happens for hepatitis A and hepatitis B, there are no vaccines to prevent hepatitis C.
The only preventive tools are constituted by the correct education of patients suffering from the disease, who must avoid situations that facilitate the transmission of the virus, and by the reduction of factors and risky behavior by healthy subjects who have not contracted the virus.
