May 19, 2010 is the third World Hepatitis Day, initiated by the China Hepatitis Foundation (HepF) and co-sponsored by Roche Pharmaceuticals, the “Seamless Health Pilot – National Hepatitis C Consultation Program” kick-off meeting was held in Beijing on May 9, 2010. The kick-off meeting was held in Beijing on May 9, 2010. At the kick-off meeting, Vice President Wang Zhao of the Liver Foundation said, “The underreporting rate of hepatitis C in China is as high as 52%, and the prevention and control situation is serious. It is urgent to strengthen the knowledge of hepatitis C prevention and treatment for the general public and non-specialist doctors, as well as to establish a consultation process within the hospital that promotes inter-departmental collaboration.” As the only hospital in Shandong Province, we were selected to participate in this hepatitis C consultation program. Hepatitis C is a global public health problem, and it is the tenth most common infectious disease in terms of mortality worldwide. In 2009, the number of reported cases was more than six times that of 2003, and the mortality rate rose to the fifth highest among infectious diseases. 80% of acute hepatitis C patients have no obvious symptoms, and up to 50-85% of acute patients will turn into chronic hepatitis C. After 20-30 years, some chronic patients will unknowingly develop severe cirrhosis and even liver cancer. Some chronic patients develop severe cirrhosis and even liver cancer without realizing it. Once infected with hepatitis C, only 20% of patients spontaneously clear the virus, and insidious hepatitis C patients can become a dangerous source of infection. However, people tend to pay a lot of attention to hepatitis B but have a low level of knowledge about hepatitis C. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the publicity and education about hepatitis C to raise people’s awareness. What is hepatitis C? Hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and most HCV infections are asymptomatic. The few patients who do cause acute hepatitis also have less severe symptoms than those of acute hepatitis A and B. The danger is that a high percentage of hepatitis C virus infections develop into chronic infections and are likely to progress to cirrhosis. The similarities and differences between hepatitis C and hepatitis B: 1. The means of transmission of infection are similar: mainly through blood or blood transfusions. The clinical manifestations are similar: fatigue, vomiting, poor sleep and loss of appetite. However, there are more asymptomatic cases of hepatitis C. 3, both have the tendency to transform into chronic hepatitis: the chance of transforming hepatitis C into chronic hepatitis is much higher than that of hepatitis B. The chronicity rate for adults infected with hepatitis B is 5%, while the chronicity rate for those infected with hepatitis C is 85%. 4. Overlapping infections are possible: Hepatitis C and hepatitis B have the potential to overlap due to similar transmission routes, and overlapping infections have a higher chance of developing severe hepatitis than individual infections. Hepatitis C should be treated before it is too late. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, and antiviral treatment for hepatitis C is far more effective than for hepatitis B. Most patients can be cured with antiviral treatment. Therefore, timely treatment can enable more patients to recover and avoid the development of cirrhosis. Tip 1: People at risk for hepatitis C People who received blood transfusions and organ transplants before 1992; people who maintain hemodialysis; people who have shared syringes; people who have not strictly sterilized dental instruments, endoscopy, invasive operations and needle sticks; people who inject drugs intravenously; people who are HIV-infected; babies born to mothers infected with hepatitis C virus; people who have been exposed to hepatitis C virus-positive blood; people who have unsafe sex Those who use instruments that have not been strictly sterilized for tattooing, acupuncture, cosmetology (ear piercing, etc.), etc. The only way to determine if you have hepatitis C is to act early and get screened as soon as possible. The most important tests are as follows: The first is the hepatitis C antibody test. Antibodies are produced by the body’s immune cells in response to a viral infection or vaccine and circulate in the blood and are usually present for life. The hepatitis C antibody test is a test to determine prior viral infection by testing for the presence of hepatitis C antibodies, rather than testing for the virus itself. Since it takes about two to three months from the invasion of the hepatitis C virus to the production of hepatitis C antibodies, a false negative can occur during the first two to three months of hepatitis C infection. The next test is the hepatitis C virus genetic test. This test detects the actual presence of the hepatitis C virus gene in the blood. It is a very sensitive test that can detect the virus within two weeks of infection. If the genetic test is positive for hepatitis C antibodies and negative for hepatitis C RNA, it means that there was a previous hepatitis C infection, but the body has eliminated the hepatitis C virus. If both are positive, it means that you have been infected with the hepatitis C virus, and if this time is longer than 6 months, then you can be diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C. High-risk people can undergo the above tests in the hospital, and once diagnosed, it is still recommended to actively cooperate with treatment. The guidelines for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis C in the United States, Europe and China clearly state that pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin is the most effective treatment option for hepatitis B and is the gold standard for the treatment of hepatitis C. Recent studies have shown that Asian patients have a more favorable response to treatment due to genetic differences. A study called Achieve showed that Asian patients with hepatitis C genotype 2/3 could achieve up to 95.5% durable virological response.