Hepatitis C is a disease mainly transmitted through blood. Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) can lead to chronic inflammatory necrosis and fibrosis of the liver, and some patients can develop cirrhosis or even hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
I. HCV inactivation methods
HCV is sensitive to general chemical disinfectants; 100 ℃ for 5 min or 60 ℃ for 10 h, high-pressure steam and formaldehyde fumigation, etc. can inactivate the virus.
Second, hepatitis C transmission route
1, HCV is mainly transmitted by blood, mainly.
(1) transmitted by blood transfusion and blood products.
(2) transmitted by broken skin and mucous membranes. Shared razors, toothbrushes, tattoos and earring piercings are also potential modes of transmission of HCV via blood.
2.Sexual transmission
3.Mother-to-child transmission: The risk of HCV transmission from an anti-HCV-positive mother to her newborn is 2%.
The transmission route of some HCV infected people is unknown. Kissing, hugging, sneezing, coughing, food, drinking water, sharing utensils and water glasses, no skin break and other non-blood-exposed contacts generally do not transmit HCV.
Three, the clinical diagnosis of hepatitis C
(A) Diagnosis of acute hepatitis C
1, epidemiological history: history of blood transfusion, application of blood products or clear history of HCV exposure. The incubation period of acute hepatitis C after blood transfusion is 2 to 16 weeks (average 7 weeks), and the incubation period of sporadic acute hepatitis C has yet to be studied.
2, clinical manifestations: general malaise, loss of appetite, nausea and pain in the right quadrant, a few with low-grade fever, mild hepatomegaly, some patients may develop splenomegaly, and a few patients may develop jaundice. Some patients have no obvious symptoms and show insidious infection.
3. Laboratory tests: ALT is mostly mildly and moderately elevated, positive for anti-HCV and HCV RNA. HCV RNA often turns negative before ALT returns to normal, but there are also cases where ALT returns to normal and HCV RNA remains positive.
Those with 1+2+3 or 2+3 as described above are diagnosed.
(B) Diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C
Diagnosis based on: HCV infection for more than 6 months, or unknown date of onset, no history of hepatitis, but liver histopathological examination consistent with chronic hepatitis, or comprehensive analysis based on symptoms, signs, laboratory and imaging findings, can also be diagnosed.
IV. Treatment
The most important thing is antiviral treatment.
Interferon combined with ribavirin
At present, for patients who have poor results with interferon combined with ribavirin, they can be combined with antiviral drugs such as protease inhibitors.