Page 252 - fourth year book

HEPATITIS C VIRUS

Measures to Avoid Transmission of HCV

● Avoid sharing toothbrushes and dental or shaving equipment, and be
cautioned to cover any bleeding wound in order to prevent contact of their
blood with others

● Stop using illicit drugs. Those who continue to inject drugs should be
counseled to avoid reusing or sharing syringes, needles, water, cotton or other
paraphernalia; to clean the injection site with a new alcohol swab; and to
dispose of syringes and needles after one use in a safe, puncture-proof
container

● Not donate blood, body organs, other tissue or semen
● The risk of sexual transmission is low, and that the infection itself is not a

reason to change sexual practices ( i.e., those in long-term relationships need
not start using barrier precautions)

 Outside of the body, hepatitis C virus can survive on environmental
surfaces at room temperature for at least 16 hours but not longer than
4 days. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, any blood spills, including dried blood, should be cleaned
with a mixture containing 1 part household bleach and 10 parts water.
Gloves should be worn when cleaning blood spills.

Management

A. Pharmacological management

 The goal of therapy is to prevent complications and death from HCV
infection.

 Treatment decisions should be individualized based on the severity

of liver disease, the potential for serious side effects, the likelihood of
treatment response, the presence of comorbid conditions, and the
patient’s readiness for treatment.

 For patients in whom liver histology is available, treatment is
indicated in those with bridging fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis
provided they do not have contraindications to therapy.

 The optimal therapy for chronic HCV infection is the combination of

peginterferon alfa and ribavirin.
─ What is interferon (IFN)?

Interferon is a protein that helps your body’s immune system to
attack infected liver cells and to protect healthy liver cells from new

infection. Pegylated interferon is taken by injection once per week.

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