The Hepatitis C Virus
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that affects the liver. It is transmitted when infected blood gets into another person's bloodstream. Some people clear the Hepatitis C virus spontaneously, however the majority of people do not clear the Hepatitis C virus and will have an ongoing or chronic infection.
The hepatitis C virus was identified in 1988. As a result of this finding it became clear that it was the major cause of the hepatitis known as Non-A, Non-B hepatitis.
HCV Hepatitis C Virus is one of several distinct and unrelated RNA viruses, including hepatitis A, B, D, E, F and G, that cause viral hepatitis (inflammation of the liver).
The Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a small (50 nm in size), enveloped, single-stranded, positive sense RNA virus in the family Flaviviridae
The structure of the hepatitis C virus is like that of most complex viruses - a core of genetic material (RNA), surrounded by a protective shell of protein, and further encased in a lipid (fatty) envelope of celluar material.
The unstable nature of the RNA molecule provides this mutagenic factor, allowing the Hepatitis C virus to develop new genetic variations of itself.
Hepatitis C a RNA virus - mutates frequently. Once an infection has begun, hepatitis C creates different genetic variations of itself within the body of the host.
The mutated forms are frequently different enough from their ancestors that the immune system cannot recognize them. Thus, even if the immune system begins to succeed against one variation, the mutant strains quickly take over and become new, predominant strains.
There are several major genotypes of the Hepatitis C virus. A genotype is a genetic variation of the structure of the Hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis C virus Genotypes are designated by numbers, subtypes by letters, e.g., 1a, 1b, 2a, ........