A detailed look into the Hepatitis C virus, including statistics.
This paper provides an overview of the Hepatitis C virus/disease. It introduces the disease and the virus that causes it. The paper talks about the pathophysiology and the natural history of the disease, followed by signs and symptoms, ways of transmission, risk factors and statistics (frequency, geographic and population, etc.). The paper also covers methods of treatment, screening tests, prevention of the disease, morbidity and mortality rates.
“In the cell, the endoplasmic reticulum (site of protein and steroid synthesis, and detoxification) is the first organelle that undergoes a change after being infected with HCV. This causes the liver functions that depend on these processes to be altered. The degree of impairment depends on how much damage is done to the endoplasmic reticulum. Vascular tissues and tissues of the ducts then undergo inflammatory changes, leading to the diseased liver. The Hepatitis C virus is not sufficient to destroy or damage liver cells by itself. There is still not a full understanding of the complex process of liver cell injury and formation of fibrous tissue in the liver (4).”