KNOWING HEPATITIS C

By Deden Sura Agung

The liver is one of a number of the most important organs in the human body has about 500 functions vital to the sustainability of the process of metabolism. It is therefore unlikely that a man can maintain his health without the presence of liver.

Some of the functions include:

1. Changing toxins, residues of drugs, alcohol and harmful substances produced by the body into elements that can be received by other organs to be removed through the kidneys and intestines. Many types of drugs should be digested in the liver before it works perfectly.
2. Red blood cells break down old and changed hemoglobin (the substance that carries oxygen in red blood cells) into bile, and then channeled into the gallbladder for later purposes. If required, this bile is excreted into the intestine to help absorb vitamins and lipid emulsion is needed from food consumption.
3. Produce, store and distribute glucose to all parts of the body. Besides also oversees cholesterol levels in the blood, process and produce as many as needed.
4. Process the protein, as required to produce high levels of blood viscosity, to send nutrients to other organs and partly serves to produce immunity on infection.

Other functions are:

• Processing carbohydrates, fats, protein and alcohol

Digest and produce bilirubin (from red blood cells), cholesterol, hormones and medications.

Hepatitis C is a type of virus that attacks the liver. When these viruses multiply, the virus kills liver cells and provoke the immune system to fight back. This reaction can be fatal attack on the liver as inflammation and / or scarring / fibrosis of the liver. If this continues to be allowed to happen without treatment can result in the occurrence of serious liver damage such as cirrhosis (hardening of the liver due to scarring) or liver cancer.

 Most people who are infected with hepatitis C virus progress to chronic hepatitis C. The infection becomes chronic (chronic) because the immune system is no longer able to fight this virus.

You might think these conditions will make you increasingly feel the pain over time. But keep in mind, for most people, hepatitis C are asymptomatic, which means they do not feel any symptoms for years after infection with hepatitis C. No one can be sure whether these symptoms will occur at a later time.

Do not feel the symptoms of hepatitis C virus does not mean not being damaging your liver. The virus can linger in your body without giving a definite symptom. In fact, many people who do not feel the symptoms until severe liver damage occur. That is why it is very important to test and consult with your doctor about the treatment of hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV = hepatitis C virus). Hepatitis C virus entry into liver cells, using the genetic machinery of the cell to duplicate the Hepatitis C virus, and infect many other cells. 15% of cases of Hepatitis C infection is acute, meaning that the body automatically clean and there are no consequences. Unfortunately 85% of cases, hepatitis C infection becomes chronic and slowly damages the liver for years. In that time, the liver can be broken into cirrhosis (hardening of the liver), end-stage liver disease and liver cancer. 

 Diagnosis of Hepatitis C

Early diagnosis is through a simple blood test to detect the presence of Hepatitis C virus or the amount of virus present in the body tissues. If a virus is detected in your body this means you have Hepatitis C. Then the doctor will check the health of your heart.

The most common way used to examine or liver problems is through a liver function test, a blood test that checks the chemicals in the body that is produced by the liver to perform its functions work:

• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) - an enzyme which, when under normal circumstances inside the liver cells and in the blood. When liver cells damaged, these enzymes leak into the bloodstream, causing levels of ALT (SGPT) increased. Test ALT (SGPT) is only done once can not necessarily indicate how severe the destruction that has occurred and often people with chronic hepatitis C have levels of ALT (SGPT) normal. Other liver enzymes are usually measured through blood tests are AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase / Alanine Aminotransferase), GGT (Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase), and alkaline phosphatase.
• Bilirubin - a yellow pigment that is channeled into the heart when the red blood cells burst. If the liver is not working properly then the levels of bilirubin in the blood will rise.
• Albumin - a protein that is produced by the liver. Albumin may reflect a decrease in the number of poor liver function.
• Prothrombin time - When it is damaged, the liver will fail to produce blood clotting substances in sufficient quantities. This test measures the clotting ability of blood. On impaired liver function Prothrombin Time (PT) compounds.
• Complete blood count - complete blood count can help detect common conditions / whole liver.

If necessary your doctor may also perform a liver biopsy is a procedure that is done by taking a small piece of liver tissue using a biopsy needle, which is then analyzed under a microscope by a pathologist. Liver biopsy is usually recommended for diagnosis of heart abnormalities or to determine the severity of liver abnormalities. 

Transmission of Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C virus is a virus contained in the blood, meaning the virus is spread / transmitted through blood and blood products. Mode of transmission generally include:

• Needle puncture wound in health circles.
• Blood transfusion before mid 1992 (after the 1992, blood banks began screening strictly for Hepatitis C by applying an effective way of checking).
• Injecting drug use (eg, use of the same syringe alternately).

Other modes of transmission include:

• Acupuncture and piercings on the body with needles that are not sterilized or cleaned as appropriate.
• Tattoos using a needle that is not sterilized or contaminated ink.
• Use of personal care items alternately (eg. razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers) and household appliances that have been exposed to blood.
• Cocaine use suction by using a straw or other similar device alternately between users. Use a straw to suck cocaine can lead to blood contact through cuts or scratches on the nose.
• Sexual activity that causes bleeding or blood contact between an infected partner and are not infected (eg. through an open wound).

Hepatitis C virus is not transmitted through casual contact such as hugging, sneezing, coughing or sitting close to people with Hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C is rarely transmitted through sexual activity. However, there is a tendency for those who have multiple sexual partners also have a higher risk for hepatitis C virus infection

One - the only way to protect yourself is to avoid risky sexual behavior, such as sexual intercourse with multiple partners or with a partner that health status is not clear.

Although rare, Hepatitis C can also be transmitted from mother to child during childbirth. Most research has estimated that the risk of transmission in this way increased by 8%. Breastfeeding has not been found to be associated with the transmission of hepatitis C virus  

If you or your partner suffer from Hepatitis C, and you (if you're a wife) or your wife (if you are a husband) is pregnant or you and your partner are planning to have children, you should consult with your doctor about the precautions necessary performed.

A person who is infected with Hepatitis C can infect other people 2 weeks after infection on her.

By knowing the mode of transmission, then we can try to prevent contracting Hepatitis C.