Why Is Hepatitis C A Major Health Concern?

A Global Health Concern 

Viruses are perhaps one of the most feared organisms when it comes to public health concerns, with transmission methods and its rate of spread being much more advanced compared to other kinds of diseases. Amongst the many viruses that threaten global health and public safety, the group of viruses that cause viral hepatitis are a major cause of concern, with hepatitis C being one of them. 

Viral hepatitis has evolved as a serious public health issue that affects hundreds of millions of people throughout the world. Both acute infection and chronic complications of viral hepatitis cause significant illnesses and fatality in its victim.

Viral Hepatitis 

There are 5 types of viral hepatitis known, with hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C being the most common. Hepatitis B and C can lead to serious, life-threatening infections. Unlike hepatitis A and B, to date, there is no effective vaccine against hepatitis C, with antiviral medicines being the one of the only treatments. 

Just like other types of viral hepatitis, hepatitis C also causes inflammation of the liver. When the liver is inflamed, it releases a series of chemicals that results in damage to the organ, and in around 75% of the cases, infection with hepatitis C proceeds to become chronic, and can even last for a lifetime. 

Hepatitis C is transmitted through contact with infected blood. Even if it enters the body in microscopic amounts it is enough to trigger an infection. Nearly half of those infected with hepatitis C are unaware of their condition which is one of the reasons many only found out at the later stage. It is a leading cause of liver cancer and chirrosis, the permanent scarring of the liver. 

Prevalence and Treatment of Hepatitis C 

An estimated 58 million individuals worldwide are infected with the chronic hepatitis C virus, or HCV, with 1.5 million new infections occurring every year. According to the World Health Organization, over 290,000 individuals died with hepatitis C in 2019, the majority of them dying from liver cirrhosis and primary liver cancer caused by the virus. 

While there is no vaccine for it, hepatitis C is treatable with oral antiviral tablets that are taken over the course of a few months. These medications are highly effective in almost 90% of hepatitis C patients.