HCV Hepatitis C Disease Progression

Hepatitis C progresses over time from the moment you are infected it starts, The virus is not predictable and effects and progress's at different speeds for different people.

After exposure to HCV Hepatitis C Virus, the window period usually lasts 2–26 weeks You could test negative for HCV Hepatitis C Virus in this window period and be positive for HCV Hepatitis C Virusso it's always best to have another test in six months to confirm your initial test result .

The initial phase of hepatitis C is called acute infection. Acute HCV Hepatitis C usually resolves after 2–12 weeks.

However, up to 80% of people initially infected with HCV Hepatitis C Virus do not clear the virus from their bodies, and become chronically infected. Most people with chronic HCV Hepatitis C do not have symptoms and lead relatively normal lives.

What are the chances of persons with HCV Hepatitis C infection developing long term infection, chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, liver cancer, or dying as a result of hepatitis C?

Of every 100 persons infected with HCV Hepatitis C , about:

• 75-85 persons might develop long-term infection
• 60-70 persons might develop chronic liver disease
• 5-20 persons might develop cirrhosis over a period of 20 to 30 years
• 1-5 persons might die from the consequences of long-term infection (liver cancer or cirrhosis)

Hepatitis C is a leading indication for liver transplants.

source Long-term Consequences of HCV Hepatitis C Infection C.D.C.Centre for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/c/faq.htm#1e

 

Factors which may progress liver damage

• Age at infection

• Alcohol intake (>50 g/day)

• Duration of infection

• Genotype

• Gender

• Coinfection with HIV or HBV

• ALT level

• Fibrosis rate

• Obesity

(source)Friedman S. Liver Fibrosis: from bench to bedside. J Hepatol 2003;38(suppl 1):38-53.

 

FIBROSIS : liver damage that involves the development of fibrous scar tissue.

The development of liver fibrosis is a critical event in the natural history of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Fibrosis is the predominant cause of morbidity and mortality from this disease and is responsible for the development of liver decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma and death in a percentage of chronically-infected individuals.

Cirrhosis is a process in which liver cells are damaged or killed and replaced with scar tissue. Extensive scar tissue formation impairs the flow of blood through the liver, causing more liver cell death and a loss of liver function.

Compensated Cirrhosis means that the liver is heavily scarred but can still perform most functions; people with compensated cirrhosis exhibit few or no symptoms.

Decompensated Cirrhosis means that the liver is extensively scarred and unable to function. People with decompensated cirrhosis often develop complications such as high blood pressure in the vein that leads to the liver (portal hypertension), varices (stretched and weakened blood vessels) in the esophagus (swallowing tube) and stomach, internal bleeding, ascites (fluid accumulation), and other potentially life-threatening conditions. They may also experience reversible mental confusion.

Liver cancer usually develops at later stages of HCV infection, typically after 25–30 years. The type of liver cancer associated with HCV Hepatitis C is called primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).