Hepatitis C is a blood born virus that attacks your liver and other parts of your body. Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. There are more than 4 million Americans infected with Hepatitis C and most of them do not know it. Approximately 85% of the people diagnosed with chronic-active, meaning they will not clear the virus in 6 months. Infected people may go 12 to 20+ years before they are sick enough to be diagnosed.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Symptoms can take many years to show up in a way that might cause a person to suspect he or she has hepatitis. The Centers for Disease Control Fact Sheet estimates that 80% of persons infected with HCV have no signs or symptoms. HCV is the most common blood born disease in the United States with an estimated 5 million Americans infected with the virus
There are several different genotypes, subtypes of Hepatitis C. The most
common is Genotype 1a and 1b. About 70% of Americans are either 1a or 1b, and
they are the hardest to treat. Genotypes 2 & 3 respond very well to 6
months of treatment. Other genotypes are 2a, 2b, 3a-f, 4a-f, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
and 11. Five (5) through 11 are rarely seen in the
Symptoms are vague, consisting of fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, weakness, dizziness, headache, fever, abdominal pain, depression, vision problems, hair loss, and confusion. You might well be misdiagnosed with arthritis, diabetes, indigestion, depression, kidney or thyroid disease, or "growing old" before the true nature of Hepatitis C is discovered.
Executive Director
Mo Hepatitis C Alliance
601 Bus Loop 70 W Suite 106
Columbia, MO 65203
573-442-6599
bruce@mohepc.org
or
Toll Free
1-800-785-2437
Visit our web-site
http://mohepc.org
The Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act