Hepititus C epidemiology Flashcards
What is hepatitis?
Inflammation of the liver, often caused by viral infection or alcohol abuse.
What are the types of hepatitis?
Acute Hepatitis (short-term liver inflammation) and Chronic Hepatitis (long-term inflammation leading to fibrosis, cirrhosis, or hepatocellular carcinoma).
How is hepatitis diagnosed?
Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, imaging (e.g., ultrasound, elastography), and liver biopsy.
What are the non-enveloped hepatitis viruses?
Hepatitis A and E (transmission: enteric, acute only).
What are the enveloped hepatitis viruses?
Hepatitis B, C, and D (transmission: parenteral, chronic potential).
What is the global burden of HCV?
50 million infected globally; 1 million new infections annually; ~240,000 deaths in 2022; 85% develop chronic liver disease.
How is HCV transmitted?
Primarily through parenteral routes such as intravenous drug use and unscreened blood transfusions (pre-1991).
What are the rare transmission routes for HCV?
Sexual and vertical transmission (5% of infants born to HCV-positive mothers).
How many genotypes of HCV are there?
There are 8 genotypes with uneven geographical distribution.
Which HCV genotypes dominate in Western Europe?
Genotypes 1-3.
Which genotype is prevalent in Egypt?
Genotype 4, with ~15% prevalence.
What is the purpose of the antibody test for HCV?
Detects HCV antibodies; not indicative of active infection.
What does qRT-PCR do in HCV diagnosis?
Detects viral genome and can determine genotype for treatment planning.
What is unique about HCV’s genetic diversity?
HCV is the most genetically diverse human virus with 8 genotypes.
What was the significance of NANBH in HCV’s historical discovery?
Evidence for an infectious agent causing chronic hepatitis was found in the 1970s.
When was the HCV genome fragment cloned?
In 1989 by Choo et al.
What are the WHO goals for HCV elimination by 2030?
Reduce annual new cases to 350,000, deaths to 140,000, and increase cure rates from 30% to 90%.
What is the prevalence of HCV in Egypt?
Genotype 4 accounts for >90% of infections, linked to poor sterilization practices in the 1960s.
What is the family and genome type of HCV?
HCV belongs to the Flaviviridae family and has a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome (~9.5 kb).
What structural proteins does HCV encode?
Core, E1, and E2.
What are the non-structural proteins of HCV?
NS2-NS5B, including NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.
What other viruses are included in the Flaviviridae family?
Dengue, West Nile, Zika, and Yellow Fever viruses.
What advances have been made in HCV research?
Infectious molecular clones have enabled the study of viral components.
What challenges exist in HCV cell culture?
RNA from infectious clones does not replicate efficiently in cultured cells.
What are emerging hepaciviruses?
Hepaciviruses found in various species, with the closest relative being Equine hepacivirus (EHcV).
What is the summary of HCV’s impact?
HCV is a major global health burden, significantly contributing to chronic liver disease.
