Effective treatment for hepatitis C

2001/10/02 Carton Virto, Eider - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Farmakologia

Hepatitis C is a serious disease, especially when it becomes chronic. In the long term it can cause cirrhosis, liver cancer, and in some cases even death. In the world, there are 170 million people infected, although the cases have been reduced since the 90's saw the intensification of blood transfusions. In fact, the hepatitis C virus is transmitted through the blood.

Early detection is critical for hepatitis C not to become chronic, but this is not easy. The symptoms of the disease are very similar to those of the flu and often the diagnosis is made months or years after the infection. The usual treatment is the administration of alpha interferone and ribabirine, but only half of the patients are cured.

The German researchers have investigated 44 patients who were diagnosed with hepatitis early. The average start date of treatment is 89 days after contamination. 4 weeks daily alpha interferone injection and another 20 weeks of injection 3 times a week. For side effects, one of the patients left treatment, but 42 of the remaining 43 were cured. At 3.2 weeks after the start of treatment, the serum virus level was below the detection threshold.

The efficacy of treatment is almost 100%, but that is true only when hepatitis C is detected early before it is billed. Michael P., author of the research. According to Manns, "this study can make people aware of the importance of early diagnosis of hepatitis C."

Complementary training I: New England Journal of Medicine