Hepatitis C Virus Flashcards
What is viral hepatitis?
Inflammation of liver Non-specific symptoms Malaise, fever, headaches Anorexia, nausea and vomiting Right upper quadrant abdominal pain Dark urine and clay coloured faeces Jaundice
What is the spectrum of viral hepatitis?
Wide spread
Asymptomatic, acute, chronic, fulminant (death)
What is acute viral hepatitis?
Mild or severe
Fulminant (A, B, C, D or E)
Usually severe primary, high mortality
Encephalopathy, coagulopathy, multi organ failure
What is chronic hepatitis?
B,C,D and rarely E
Presence of virus for more than 6 months
What are the routes of transmission of viral hepatitis?
Faecal oral
Parenteral- contact with body fluids
What is Hepatitis A virus (HAV)?
Infectious hepatitis
What is Hepatitis B virus (HBV)?
Homologous serum hepatitis
What are the causative agents for Hepatitis A and B
non-A, non-B hepatitis virus
Are all cases of Hepatitis caused by A and B?
No, not many cases caused by A and B
What is transmitted parenterally?
HCV (not via the alimentary tract)
What is known to cause chronic infections?
NANBH
Non A Non B hep Virus
What is most common to occur in Hepatitis C virus?
Cirrohsis and chronic liver disease
What was the experiment to test for Hepatitis C in chimpanzees?
Infection passed experimentally to chimpanzees
Infectious agent passed through 50nm filter
Agent inactivated by solvents
Probably a small, enveloped virus
What is HAV?
Positive
RNA
Picornaviridae
What is Hep B?
Partly ds DNA positive sense RNA
Hepadnaviri dae
What is Hep C?
Partly ds DNA positive sense RNA
Flaviviridae
What is Hep D?
Circular RNA
Deltaviridae
What is Hep E?
Positive sense RNA
Calciviridae
What are the clinical features of acute hep C?
Most asymptomatic
<1% fulminant
What are the clinical features chronic hep C?
50-70%
20% cirrhosis
3-7% HCC