Hepatitis C Infection - Drugs in Development

Drugs in Development
Back to Hepatitis C Updated: November 29, 2005 Hepatitis C Treatments in Current Clinical Development Alan Franciscus Editor-in-Chief PDF (download) There are many potential targets being pursued by drugs

HCV - HEPATITIS C | IAFF

Hepatitis C: Index | CDC Viral Hepatitis
Hepatitis C is a disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). You may be at risk for hepatitis C and should contact your medical care

Hepatitis C Cure
This site contains information about curing hepatitis C and hepatitis C treatment options. Regaining Consciousness Most Recent Post: Thursday, December 01, 2005 09:26:21 PM If this is your first time

Is There A Vaccine For Hepatitis C?(NC)-No, not for hepatitis (Hepatitis C Infection)

Is There A Vaccine For Hepatitis C?

(NC)-No, not for hepatitis C. There are vaccines for hepatitis A and hepatitis B. To prevent further damage to your liver, your doctor may advise you to be vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B.

Could I give hepatitis C to someone else?

Yes, as far as we know, once you have hepatitis C, you can always transmit it to someone else if they come in contact with your blood. If you have hepatitis C, you can't donate blood. You should avoid sharing personal items like razors and toothbrushes, because the virus is spread through blood to blood contact.

Although the virus isn't spread easily by sexual contact or from a mother to her unborn baby, the risk of transmitting the virus is not absent. Therefore, talk to your doctor first if you want to have children. p>

For more information on hepatitis C visit Health Canada's Web site at www.healthcanada.ca/hepc.

About The Author

News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.

News Canada is a niche service in public relations, offering access to print, radio, television, and now the Internet media, with ready-to-use, editorial "fill" items. Monitoring and analysis are two more of our primary services. The service supplies access to the national media for marketers in the private, the public, and the not-for-profit sectors. Your corporate and product news, consumer tips and information are packaged in a variety of ready-to-use formats and are made available to every Canadian media organization including weekly and daily newspapers, cable and commercial television stations, radio stations, as well as the Web sites Canadians visit most often. Visit News Canada and learn more about the NC services.

Hepatitis C Infection - A Summary of Chronic Hepatitis C InfectionHepatitis C is a

A Summary of Chronic Hepatitis C Infection

Hepatitis C is a stealthy virus that mutates while hiding in liver cells and other organ cells like the spleen and gall bladder. The fact that the viral cells "hide" makes it very difficult for the body's immune system to eradicate it. Hepatitis C is a slowly progressing disease sometimes taking many years until symptoms are noticeable. It is at this point that the virus has reached advanced chronic stage and becomes difficult to eradicate. Hepatitis C results in 8,000 to 10,000 deaths annually. Hepatitis C is also the leading cause of liver transplants in the U.S.

Hepatitis C infection is caused by blood contact with someone who has the virus infection himself. The transmission of the virus can occur by illicit drug use with needles, sharing toothbrushes or razors with an infected person, by sexual means, by unsanitary tattooing or by exposure to blood at your workplace (like a hospital or blood bank). Some HCV infection may have been caused by receiving blood from a transfusion prior to 1992.

Hepatitis C is diagnosed via a blood test. Usually, the first thing that is noticed is that the liver enzyme levels for ALT and AST are elevated well above normal levels. Further investigation via HCV-RNA testing identifies whether the Hepatitis C virus is in your blood or not. Other tests for HCV include qualitative viral load tests, which measure the RNA particles in your blood. If you are being treated for HCV, your doctor is probably using either a HCV-RNA or viral load test to determine the effectiveness of the treatment.

The symptoms of Hepatitis C infection often do not occur in a person until 20 years after he/she had been infected. Since the HCV infects the liver and the liver is the organ in the body that makes all the energy for our daily activities possible, liver function deterioration often results in fatigue. Fatigue is the primary complaint or symptom of HCV infection. Other more severe symptoms are jaundice (yellowing of the skin/eyes), bile retention (which can cause jaundice), portal vein hypertension, skin rashes and itching, and autoimmune problems resulting from your body's immune system attacking normal cells.

Long term HCV infection may result in fibrosis or even cirrhosis of the liver. Fibrosis results from unchecked liver inflammation. As the HCV infection progresses, the damage to the liver results in scarring or hardening of the liver cells (fibrosis). Long term fibrosis may lead to cirrhosis which is when the scarring from fibrosis overtakes the normal liver cell structure causing deformity and loss of function in the liver. About 15%-20% of HCV patients end up with cirrhosis. A liver biopsy is currently the most accurate means of determining the amount of inflammation and fibrosis the liver has sustained.

Hepatitis C progression in the body can take several years or even decades to come to chronic stage or to a stage where severe liver damage is evident. This period of time allows a person to determine how to properly treat the disease and to decide on a course of disease management. Currently, the main treatment for HCV infection to eradicate the virus is combo alpha-interferon and Ribavirin. Sometimes a doctor may prescribe interferon alone. Interferon comes in standard form or in pegylated form. Standard form interferon is administered 3 times per week, while the pegylated form is administered only once per week. Your body makes its own interferon, which is a protein that fights viral infection and viral replication.

Hepatitis C may often be managed by taking herbal and vitamin supplements that help your body fight infection and limit inflammation. These supplements help your liver with the inflammation and give it the nutrients it needs to regenerate healthy new cells. Your doctor can recommend alternative or adjunct solutions you may want to try.

Proper treatment of the disease, a healthy and active lifestyle, a good diet, abstinence from alcohol and stress management are important factors in controlling Hepatitis C progression.

About the Author

Greg Lietz is a freelance writer and internet businessman. His main website is http://www.theonlinebizplace.com where he provides content about internet based business opportunities and different niche interests. This article may be freely printed when the bio information is included.

Hepatitis C Infection - New Drug for Hepatitis B

New Drug for Hepatitis B
Title: New Drug for Hepatitis B
Category: Health News
Created: 3/31/2005 1:59:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 3/31/2005 1:58:40 AM
Pegasys Shown More Effective In Study
Schering and Roche are taking part in duelling press releases this week. Each claiming their solution is better. Either way, they seem to be splitting hairs regarding effectiveness. There is no clear winner when they keep firing PR salvos back...

Vaccination Tames Hepatitis A (Hepatitis C Infection) Infection

Vaccination Tames Hepatitis A Infection
Title: Vaccination Tames Hepatitis A Infection
Category: Health News
Created: 7/13/2005 1:58:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 7/13/2005 1:58:14 AM
Another Biotech Contender
Here is another compound from a biotech pharma company. This antisense approach has been spoken of with great promise. I look forward to seeing how it proceeds. We'll stay tuned to this one......

Hepatitis C: All-about-hepatitisC treatments, risk factors, and

Hepatitis C: All-about-hepatitisC treatments, risk factors, and
Hepatitis C resources on hep C causes, symptoms, testing, and treatments.

CHRONIC HEPATITIS C (Hepatitis C Infection)

CHRONIC HEPATITIS C
15-Dec-99: CHRONIC HEPATITIS C ... CHRONIC HEPATITIS C. EPIDEMIOLOGY, TRANSMISSION ...

Hepatitis C
... results, indicating both favorable and poor long term prognosis from chronic hepatitis C virus infection.24-27 ... 2b for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. At present, treatment is ...

Hepatitis C definition - Hepatitis C health and medical information produced by doctors
... At least half of HCV patients develop chronic hepatitis C infection ... Treatment is via anti-viral drugs. Chronic hepatitis C may be treated with interferon, sometimes in combination ...

A Summary of Chronic Hepatitis C InfectionHepatitis C (Hepatitis C Infection) is a

A Summary of Chronic Hepatitis C Infection

Hepatitis C is a stealthy virus that mutates while hiding in liver cells and other organ cells like the spleen and gall bladder. The fact that the viral cells "hide" makes it very difficult for the body's immune system to eradicate it. Hepatitis C is a slowly progressing disease sometimes taking many years until symptoms are noticeable. It is at this point that the virus has reached advanced chronic stage and becomes difficult to eradicate. Hepatitis C results in 8,000 to 10,000 deaths annually. Hepatitis C is also the leading cause of liver transplants in the U.S.

Hepatitis C infection is caused by blood contact with someone who has the virus infection himself. The transmission of the virus can occur by illicit drug use with needles, sharing toothbrushes or razors with an infected person, by sexual means, by unsanitary tattooing or by exposure to blood at your workplace (like a hospital or blood bank). Some HCV infection may have been caused by receiving blood from a transfusion prior to 1992.

Hepatitis C is diagnosed via a blood test. Usually, the first thing that is noticed is that the liver enzyme levels for ALT and AST are elevated well above normal levels. Further investigation via HCV-RNA testing identifies whether the Hepatitis C virus is in your blood or not. Other tests for HCV include qualitative viral load tests, which measure the RNA particles in your blood. If you are being treated for HCV, your doctor is probably using either a HCV-RNA or viral load test to determine the effectiveness of the treatment.

The symptoms of Hepatitis C infection often do not occur in a person until 20 years after he/she had been infected. Since the HCV infects the liver and the liver is the organ in the body that makes all the energy for our daily activities possible, liver function deterioration often results in fatigue. Fatigue is the primary complaint or symptom of HCV infection. Other more severe symptoms are jaundice (yellowing of the skin/eyes), bile retention (which can cause jaundice), portal vein hypertension, skin rashes and itching, and autoimmune problems resulting from your body's immune system attacking normal cells.

Long term HCV infection may result in fibrosis or even cirrhosis of the liver. Fibrosis results from unchecked liver inflammation. As the HCV infection progresses, the damage to the liver results in scarring or hardening of the liver cells (fibrosis). Long term fibrosis may lead to cirrhosis which is when the scarring from fibrosis overtakes the normal liver cell structure causing deformity and loss of function in the liver. About 15%-20% of HCV patients end up with cirrhosis. A liver biopsy is currently the most accurate means of determining the amount of inflammation and fibrosis the liver has sustained.

Hepatitis C progression in the body can take several years or even decades to come to chronic stage or to a stage where severe liver damage is evident. This period of time allows a person to determine how to properly treat the disease and to decide on a course of disease management. Currently, the main treatment for HCV infection to eradicate the virus is combo alpha-interferon and Ribavirin. Sometimes a doctor may prescribe interferon alone. Interferon comes in standard form or in pegylated form. Standard form interferon is administered 3 times per week, while the pegylated form is administered only once per week. Your body makes its own interferon, which is a protein that fights viral infection and viral replication.

Hepatitis C may often be managed by taking herbal and vitamin supplements that help your body fight infection and limit inflammation. These supplements help your liver with the inflammation and give it the nutrients it needs to regenerate healthy new cells. Your doctor can recommend alternative or adjunct solutions you may want to try.

Proper treatment of the disease, a healthy and active lifestyle, a good diet, abstinence from alcohol and stress management are important factors in controlling Hepatitis C progression.

About the Author

Greg Lietz is a freelance writer and internet businessman. His main website is http://www.theonlinebizplace.com where he provides content about internet based business opportunities and different niche interests. This article may be freely printed when the bio information is included.

Sustained Virologic Response Rates from a Randomized Trial of HCV Genotype-1 Subjects Treated with Either Cons (Hepatitis C Infection)

Sustained Virologic Response Rates from a Randomized Trial of HCV Genotype-1 Subjects Treated with Either Cons
HIV and Hepatitis.com - Valeant will pay InterMune $113.5 million in cash upon closing, and subsequent milestone payments of up to approximately $22.5 million. Valeant also will acquire an estimated $6.5 million in inventory from InterMune. that greater than 50% of HCV genotype 1 individuals treated with the

Consensus IFN+ IFN Gamma-1b in African-American Peg Nonresponders
National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project - Blatt2 1The New Jersey School of Dentistry and Medicine, Newark, NJ 2InterMune, Inc., IFN-_-2 + RBV who had log10 reduction in HCV RNA (nonresponders). Therapy was switched to a combination of was defined as having undetectable HCV RNA 24 weeks after the last

Hepatitis C Infection - Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B
Title: Hepatitis B
Category: Diseases and Conditions
Created: 1/26/2001 11:58:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 9/21/2005
Two Studies Recruiting HCV Patients
Sho-saiko-to is the number one liver remedy in Japan. It has been prescribed to over 1.5 million patients (in Japan, doctors medically prescribe certain natural remedies, just like doctors prescribe pharmaceutical drugs in the US). Based on the large body...
CAT Scan
Title: CAT Scan
Category: Procedures and Tests
Created: 12/31/1997
Last Editorial Review: 8/28/2005

What is Hepatitis C?(NC)-Hepatitis C is an infectious virus (Hepatitis C Infection) that

What is Hepatitis C?

(NC)-Hepatitis C is an infectious virus that is carried in the blood and harms the liver. About 240,000 Canadians are infected, many of whom are unaware that they even have it. The number of people with hepatitis C is increasing in Canada and around the world, primarily among those who share needles and other drug equipment. An estimated 5,000 Canadians - mostly young people - get this virus each year. p>

Although the hepatitis C virus has been around for a long time, it was only identified in 1989. It causes inflammation of the liver, which often progresses to cirrhosis (scarring that makes it difficult for the liver to function normally). Of the estimated 5,000 people that are newly infected each year, up to 70 percent experience no symptoms. For some, symptoms may not show up for 20 or 30 years. In the meantime, they may, unknowingly, be infecting others. That is why it is important to know if you are at risk and how to take preventative action.

If you think you have hepatitis C, or that you may be at risk, visit your doctor and ask for the simple blood test for this disease. For more information, contact a health care professional, and visit Health Canada's Web site at www.healthcanada.ca/hepc.

About The Author

News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.

News Canada is a niche service in public relations, offering access to print, radio, television, and now the Internet media, with ready-to-use, editorial "fill" items. Monitoring and analysis are two more of our primary services. The service supplies access to the national media for marketers in the private, the public, and the not-for-profit sectors. Your corporate and product news, consumer tips and information are packaged in a variety of ready-to-use formats and are made available to every Canadian media organization including weekly and daily newspapers, cable and commercial television stations, radio stations, as well as the Web sites Canadians visit most often. Visit News Canada and learn more about the NC services.