Let’s take a look at the symptoms of hepatitis C to cure. Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV), and it is important to understand symptoms, infectious paths, therapies, and cure. In the early stages, it is often called ‘Silent disease’, which is also called ‘Silent disease’, and is diagnosed with antibody tests and viral RNA tests through blood tests. With the development of modern medicine, direct antiviral agents (DAA) shows a high cure rate of more than 95%.
Hepatitis C symptoms/transmission
Hepatitis C is an inflammatory disease of the liver caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV). This virus is mainly spread through the blood, and in the early stages of infection, there is no symptoms or slightness, and often passes by without knowing. More than 50% of infected patients proceed to chronic hepatitis and can develop into cirrhosis or liver cancer for a long time. Starting in 2025, the national health checkups aged 56 or older will include hepatitis C tests, allowing early diagnosis and treatment.
The main symptoms of hepatitis C
Infection of hepatitis C may cause a variety of symptoms, but many patients may be asymptomatic.
- Whole body fatigue: The most common symptom, it can easily get tired and interfere with everyday life. This can be caused by a decrease in liver function and can last chronically.
- Mild fever and muscle pain: Symptoms similar to colds may cause mild fever, muscle pain, cough, runny nose. These symptoms are caused by the body’s immune response to the virus, and it is more prominent during early infections.
- Digestive: You may have nausea, vomiting, anorexia, abdominal discomfort, etc., and sometimes with diarrhea. This is caused by changes in the digestion process due to liver function deterioration.
- Jaundice: When the disease progresses, the urine becomes dark like a cola, and jaundice can occur in the eyes and skin. This is a symptom of a problem with bilirubin metabolism in the liver.
Hepatitis C transmission path
Hepatitis C is mainly spread through blood and can be infected with various paths.
- Contaminated medical equipment: It can be transmitted through medical instruments such as uninforcent syringes, needles, and saliva. In particular, in 2015-2016, there were cases of group infections due to reuse of disposable syringes at Seoul and local hospitals.
- Share of personal hygiene products: If you share your personal hygiene products that can be contaminated with blood, such as razors, nail clippers, and toothbrushes, there is a risk of infectious. These items may have invisible trace of blood, which requires attention.
- Tattoo and piercing: Instructed tattoos, piercings, nail arts, etc. can be infected. If the tools used during these procedures are not sterilized properly, the blood of the previous user may remain.
- Sexual contact: Viruses in the patient’s semen and vaginal fluid can be transmitted through sexual acts. However, the transmission rate between couples is relatively low at 5%.
Diagnosis of hepatitis C
Hepatitis C can be diagnosed through blood tests.
- Hepatitis C antibody testAnti-HCV tests for hepatitis C virus are used as a screening test for high-risk groups and primary tests for suspected patients. This test can check the past infection, but it is unknown whether it is active.
- HCV-RNA inspection: When positive in hepatitis C antibody tests, HCV-RNA tests are performed to confirm the presence of viruses in the body. This test is a confirmed test that checks the current activity infection.
- Liver function: Liver function test is performed to evaluate the degree of liver damage. This allows you to identify the severity of hepatitis and establish an appropriate treatment plan.
Hepatitis C can be cured early and most of them can be cured. Currently, there is a treatment to take oral antiviral drugs once a day for 2-3 months, and the cure rate is very effective at more than 90%. Therefore, it is important for people with risk factors to receive early diagnosis and treatment through regular checkups.
Hepatitis C treatment
Hepatitis C has been difficult to treat in the past, but now the cure rate has been greatly improved by more than 95% due to the development of direct Acting antiviral (DAA). Hepatitis C is often not symptom (about 70%), so early detection is important, and proper treatment can prevent serious complications such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Development of hepatitis C treatment
In the past, hepatitis C treatment was a combination of interferon injections and ribbirin oral agents, but now, oral direct antiviral drugs (DAAs) have become a standard treatment.
- Oral direct action antiviral system (DAA): Viruses are made of direct target, very effective and less side effects. Sophos Bubier, Elbasvier, Grazo Previer, Belpatasvier, Glecap Levier, Ready Pasbear, Boksil Le Pravier, and fibrenta Svier are taken as orally. These drugs are taken for 8 to 24 weeks and remove viruses from the body to stop inflammation and reduce the risk of cirrhosis.
- Pan -oil electronic treatment agentA drug, such as Ephetry Klusa (Sopos Bubir/Belpatasvir), can be used for all gene types up to HCV 1-6, and has the advantage that it can be administered regardless of the hepatic fibrosis stage. Once a day, 12 weeks are administered and can be treated at the opening price. The cure rate is over 95%, with little side effects and good drug compliance.
- Furniture optionThere are also drugs such as Belpatasvir (Belpatasvir/Sopos Burbir/Boksil La Prrevir) for patients who failed to treat previously.
Evaluation before hepatitis C treatment
Some important examples are required before starting the treatment of hepatitis C.
- HCV genotype test: To determine the duration of the treatment and the drug capacity, an HCV gene test is required before the antiviral treatment. There are a total of six HCV gene types (1 to 6), and the treatment method may vary depending on the genotype. Genetic 1 is about 30-50%of treatment between 6 months and 1 year (24 ~ 48 weeks), while genes 2 and 3 are treated for about 60-80%for 6 months (24 weeks).
- Evaluation of liver disease severity: Evaluate the severity of liver disease through liver and non -invasive liver fibrosis tests. This is important for determining the start of antiviral treatment and prognosis.
- HCV RNA quantitative inspection: It is used to monitor the treatment effect by measuring the amount of viruses.
Subject to treatment of hepatitis C
According to the 2025 virus hepatitis management guidelines, the following patients are priority treatment.
- Progressive fibrosis patients: F3 or higher progressive fiber (including objective and non -diameter cirrhosis) patients are treated first.
- Patient before and after liver transplantation: Patients who are about to be liver transplantation or already receive them are first treated.
- Patients with liver complications: Patients with serious liver complications associated with HCV infections, such as lin Globulinemia and glomerulonephritis, are treated first.
- General patient: All hepatitis C patients with no treatment are subject to treatment. However, HCV treatment is not recommended for patients with short expectations due to diseases other than liver disease.
Hepatitis C treatment has recently made great progress, so it can be cured in almost all patients. Treatment showed that liver cancer risks 59% and liver death risks 75%. Since 2025, the National Health Checkups include hepatitis C tests, so more patients will be diagnosed and effective.
Hepatitis C antibody/cure
Hepatitis C checks and diagnoses HCV antibodies or HCV RNA through blood tests. In the case of hepatitis B, it means that if the antibody is positive, it has obtained immunity in the body, but hepatitis C means that if the antibody is positive, there is a virus in the body.
The meaning of hepatitis C antibody test
Hepatitis C virus is mainly present in hepatocytes, and when infected, our body causes an immune response to fight the virus and forms an antibody.
- Antibody test results analysis: If Anti-HCV is negative (-), it means non-infection, positive (+), which means the infection of the present or past. Antibody tests are the first steps to find out whether they are infected with hepatitis C. If you are positive in the antibody test, you need to check the current activity infection through additional HCV RNA tests. This is because antibodies alone cannot distinguish whether they are currently infected or traces of past infections.
- Limit: It takes about 1 month to be infected with hepatitis C virus. Therefore, even if the acute symptoms appear, the antibody test may show gastric. In addition, autoimmune diseases, where immunoglobulin increases, can be caused by false growth.
- Additional inspection for confirmation: If you are positive in antibody tests, the HCV RNA test checks whether the virus is present. After that, the liver function test, abdominal ultrasound or CT will be conducted to evaluate the degree of liver damage.
Hepatitis C treatment and possibility of cure
Hepatitis C, unlike the past, has now become a cure.
- Modern treatmentIn the past, the combination administration of the injection interferon and the oral agent Ribabirin was a standard treatment, but the side effects were severe and the cure rate was only 50-80%. Currently, an oral direct activity antiviral (DAA) has been developed to completely change the treatment paradigm. These drugs have less side effects and have excellent treatment effects, resulting in more than 95% cure.
- Shortening: The latest DAA treatment is a method of taking orally once a day for 8-12 weeks. In particular, bumple electron-type treatments such as Ephetg Klusa (Sopos Bubir/Belpatasvir) can be used for all genotype (1-6) and are 98%cure in 12 weeks once a day.
- Improvement of treatment accessibility: Currently, DAA treatment can be prescribed at the opening price, allowing patients to be treated more easily. However, patients with underlying diseases should first check the drug interaction.
The importance of cure hepatitis C
Hepatitis C treatment is important for preventing multiple complications beyond simply removing viruses.
- Complications preventionHepatitis C can be done with chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver cancer if it is not treated. The cure showed that the risk of liver cancer is 59% and the risk of liver death is 75%. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are very important.
- National eradication goal: The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to combat hepatitis C by 2030. To this end, more than 30,000 patients must be diagnosed each year, and the national screening inspection system is required.
Hepatitis C is no longer a fearful disease. The development of modern medicine has developed a high cure rate in a short period of time. The problem is that only 2 out of 10 patients have been diagnosed out of about 300,000 hepatitis C patients. It is hoped that more patients can be found and treated early through the hepatitis C antibody test of national health checkups that begin in 2025.
FAQ
Q: What are the main symptoms and transmission paths of hepatitis C?
A: Hepatitis C is often asymptomatic, but fatigue, mild fever, muscle pain, anorexia, jaundice, etc. may occur. Transportation is mainly through blood, and it is spread through untidified syringes, medical instruments, personal sanitary supplies sharing, tattoos or piercing, and rarely sex. People who have been transfused before 1992, when the transfusion tests were implemented, are also in danger.
Q: How is hepatitis C treatment?
A: Hepatitis C treatment is done through oral direct antiviral agents (DAA). Unlike the past interferon injections, it is currently taking orally once a day for 8-12 weeks. Pan -oil electronic therapy such as Ephesians can be used for all genotypes, and HCV genotype tests and liver disease severity evaluation are required before treatment.
Q: What do you mean if you have been positive in the hepatitis C antibody test?
A: If the positive hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) test is positive, it means that he is infected with hepatitis C virus in the present or in the past. However, antibody tests alone cannot distinguish whether they are active or traces of past infections. Therefore, in the case of antibody training, an additional HCV RNA test should be performed to check if the current virus is present in the body.
Q: Is he hepatitis C cure?
A: Yes, hepatitis C has become a disease that can be cured due to the development of modern medicine. Treatment through direct antiviral agents (DAA) shows a high cure rate of more than 95%, and is considered cure if the continuous viral response (SVR) is maintained for more than 12 weeks. After cure, liver cancer risks were 59% and liver death risks were reduced by 75%. However, even after cure, antibodies may continue to be positive.
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