As new treatments for hepatitis C virus (HCV) are approved, biomedical scientists are exploring their mechanisms and what they reveal about the virus. An online publication in May 2014 in Hepatology is the first to report real-time tracking of viral decay in the liver and blood in 15 patients with HCV.
Tag: Hepatitis C
National Hepatitis Testing Day 2014
May 19th 2014 is the third national Hepatitis Testing Day. Testing is especially important for Boomers and Beyond because people in that cohort may have contracted the HCV virus through blood transfusions or organ transplants prior to 1992 before screening went into effect. HCV, a potentially life-threatening infection of the liver, can be chronic with no symptoms for years and even decades. Millions of Americans have chronic hepatitis and most of them don’t know they are infected until serious liver damage has occurred.
Living Well With Hepatitis C
By Jane Farrell
Hepatitis C, an inflammation of the liver caused by a virus, is a discouraging, debilitating condition. It affects an estimated 3.2 million Americans, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The illness is usually caused by receiving donated blood that is infected, having had a bad organ transplant, or sharing a needle or having sex with a person who is contaminated with the virus.
The Right Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Hepatitis C
By Sondra Forsyth
The Centers for Disease Control has designated May as Hepatitis Awareness Month. One goal of that campaign is to let Boomers know that of the more than three million Americans infected with hepatitis C, over 75% are in their 50s and 60s. You can find out the extent of your risk with this 5-minute online assessment from the CDC.
New Combo Drug Effective for Hep C
Treatment options for the 170 million people worldwide with chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) are evolving rapidly, although the available regimens often come with significant side effects. Two multi-center clinical trials led by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center show promise for a new option that could help lead to both an increase in patients cured with a much more simple and tolerable therapy involving only oral medication.
A Step Forward in Treating Hepatitis C
Researchers have discovered the structure of a hepatitis C protein, and the finding could help scientists develop a vaccine for the deadly illness.
Joseph Marcotrigiano, associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Rutgers University, says the research has uncovered the structure of an “outer region” of hepatitis C that enables the virus to evade the body’s immune system.