Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Abstract


 
 Hepatitis C Virus Infection 
 I have read with great interest the review entitled “Hepatitis C Virus Infection: A Brief Review” recently published by Saleem Kamili and Hisham Qadri in JMS, SKIMS (Vol 23 No 1 (2020): Jan-Mar).Useful information has been presented and these efforts will definitely help the clinicians to treat Hepatitis C patients in a better and effective way. I wish to make the following comments on the diagnostic evaluation of Hepatitis C infection. This was need of an hour to know the prevalence, causes, symptoms and available treatment of this disorder. As we know the virus can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis, ranging in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. New HCV infections are usually asymptomatic. Some persons get acute hepatitis which does not lead to a life-threatening disease. It is important to note here that around 30% (15–45%) of infected persons spontaneously clear the virus within 6 months of infection without any treatment. The remaining 70% (55–85%) of persons will develop chronic HCV infection. Of those with chronic HCV infection, the risk of cirrhosis ranges between 15% and 30% within 20 years. Globally, an estimated 71 million people have chronic hepatitis C virus infection. WHO estimated that in 2016, approximately 399 000 people died from hepatitis C, mostly from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma primary liver cancer).Antiviral medicines can cure more than 95% of persons with hepatitis C infection, thereby reducing the risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer, but access to diagnosis and treatment is low.