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Fall 2003 - Article 5

From The Lab
Hepatitis C Virus

Hepatitis C is one of five human hepatitis viruses that primarily infect the human liver and cause human illness. The other known human hepatitis viruses are Hepatitis A, B, D and E.

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is the most common chronic blood-borne infection in the United States. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1.8% of the U.S. population (about four million people) have been infected with the virus.

HCV is blood-borne, which means it is spread through blood or blood products. Common routes of infection include needle stick accidents among health care workers, blood transfusions before July of 1992, and the practice of sharing needles among recreational drug users to name a few.

There is no vaccine to prevent HCV. Once the virus infects a person’s blood, it enters the cells of the liver and begins to reproduce itself rapidly. In the initial stage of infection it is called acute Hepatitis C. During this stage, which can last up to six months, 60% - 70% of those infected have no symptoms. However, some people in the acute stage may experience tiredness, weakness, loss of appetite and jaundice. Abdominal discomfort may also occur – a sign that the liver is inflamed and tender. Most people are unable to rid their bodies of HCV on their own. In more than 80% of individuals with acute infection, the disease progresses to a chronic condition. The likelihood of progressing from acute to chronic is not influenced by either severity of the disease or the specific demographic group that is affected. HCV is considered chronic when it remains in the blood longer than six months.

Chronic Hepatitis C usually progresses at a very slow rate, often over a period of 10 to 30 years. The longer the virus is in the body, the more damage it inflicts on the liver. If the disease remains untreated, serious consequences such as cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer and death may occur. Current treatment usually entails a 24 or 48 week course of the drug combination alpha interferon and ribavirin.

Essential's entire disinfectant line is labeled for the Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Viruses, including Quat 256, Neutral Germicidal Cleaner, Readiquat, Quat 44 and Restroom Cleaner and Disinfectant.