Symptoms of hepatitis C in women. Hepatitis C: treatment. Hepatitis C: symptoms

"Affectionate killer" - this name was given to hepatitis C from doctors. Weak symptoms and severe, almost lethal consequences allow us to call such a complex disease such an ambiguous nickname.

How is this extremely dangerous virus?

Hepatitis C has a viral nature. In appearance, the cell of the pathogen has a spherical shape with a cladding and located inside the genetic information. The genome consists of only 1 gene (the RNA strand), which is encoded by 9 proteins. The simplicity of the structure contributes to the rapid penetration of the virus into the liver cells. The affected unit continues to function and does so, subject to the interests of the viral cell.

The hepatocyte synthesizes viral proteins and RNA. The newly formed particles pass to healthy areas, infecting them. Prolonged activity of virus-bearing cells leads to the death of liver tissue or to their degeneration, transforming into malignant cancerous tumors.

One of the features of hepatitis C is the ability to form "quasi-species" - mutated particles. In the virus genome, there are areas in which mutations often occur. As a result, it is difficult to diagnose "hepatitis C". Symptoms and treatment represent a rather complex problem, because the former are not clearly pronounced, and the second is determined purely by the individual specialist. At the same time, the liver is gradually destroyed, and the viral cells continue to penetrate into the tissues of other organs, causing concomitant diseases.

How does hepatitis C become infected?

Getting into the body of a woman, the hepatitis C virus multiplies in the liver and circulates throughout the body with blood. But how does the pathogen get into the body? All the ways of infection are somehow connected with blood, so all cases in which the blood of an infected person can connect to yours are dangerous. The greatest number of cases of infection is associated with intravenous drug use. Often, one contaminated syringe, which is used by several people, transmits the virus from one infected to another. According to statistics, 80% of drug addicts develop chronic hepatitis C, and infection often occurs with the first injection.

Danger also represents promiscuity. With unprotected sex, the likelihood of contracting this disease (if your partner is a carrier of the virus) is 5-10%. However, the symptoms of hepatitis C in women do not appear immediately. When a child is born from an infected mother, the probability of transmission of the disease to the fetus does not exceed 5%.

Until recently, blood transfusion was dangerous due to the fact that it could be infected with hepatitis C. Since 1999, donor material has been checked for antibodies to the disease. Currently, this route can only be infected in 4% of cases. Do not forget that danger can lie in wait and in a number of absolutely harmless, at first glance, situations. For example, when you visit a hairdresser, regular treatment with a dentist or surgery, there is a significant risk of infection.

In cases where the process is associated with a violation of the integrity of the skin or mucous membranes, ask how the instruments are processed. To be vigilant is also necessary when applying tattoos, piercing, performing a manicure (pedicure). Infection can occur due to the use of non-disinfected tools that can transmit infectious blood from previous visitors.

Since 40 cases out of 100 fail to establish a reliable cause of infection, it is advisable to avoid situations where your blood can be connected to a particle of the blood of an infected person.

Symptoms of hepatitis C in women

Now let's talk about how this disease manifests itself. If you for some reason have a question about what symptoms are associated with hepatitis C, you should definitely consult with a specialist. This disease is not characterized by specific manifestations. From other varieties of the virus, hepatitis C.

Symptoms are extremely rare in the first weeks of the disease, and jaundice of the skin is a rare occurrence. Often the patient experiences weakness, quickly becomes tired and feels a breakdown. These are the main symptoms of hepatitis C. Women in 35-65% of cases have a depressive condition. Rarely with acute disease can occur joint pain, digestive disorder, traditionally without a significant increase in temperature.

Similar symptoms of hepatitis C in women are unambiguously indicative of such a dangerous disease. In addition, quite often patients do not turn in time for help, which leads to complications. Without proper attention, the hepatitis virus can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. In the asymptomatic course of the disease a person can absolutely accidentally learn about the disease at an early stage. Often this happens when you need to donate blood for analysis, or you are a donor. When the variant is started, an increase in the abdomen volume is observed, vascular asterisks, jaundice, intolerable weakness appear.

The first "swallows" of the disease

The first symptoms of hepatitis C in women can be confused with the flu. The onset of the disease is often not accompanied by intoxication and within the first 2 weeks occurs with little or no apparent manifestation. Only rarely is itching of the skin, pain in the joints and muscles, dark urine, lack of appetite.

Frequent complaints with which patients are treated are:

• Lethargy, apathy and physical weakness;
• Decreased mental activity;
• Unpleasant pulling sensations in the right hypochondrium;
• Complete lack of desire to consume liquid or food;
• Every meal causes discomfort.

Often, hepatitis C (symptoms and treatment, as we have already said, are determined very carefully and individually) is transferred in a mild form, but about 10% can be susceptible to fulminant (rapid) forms of the disease, which can lead to death. In 80-90% of cases, the disease becomes chronic.

To identify the disease, it is necessary to perform a number of laboratory tests, among which the following are mandatory:

• A blood test for the content of ALaT, ASAT, bilirubin;
• Blood test for anti-HCV (antibodies to hepatitis C virus);
• Blood test for PCR-HCV;
• USP and liver biopsy, by means of which the severity of the disease is determined;
• For patients with diabetes or hypertension is necessary to examine the fundus, in which retinopathy is detected.

In each case, when diagnosed with "hepatitis C" symptoms may vary. Therefore, the attending physician sometimes expands the list of research methods or reduces it, depending on the condition of the patient or the equipment of the laboratory.

Clinical manifestations of the disease

Getting into the body through the skin or mucous membranes, microorganisms multiply and with the blood flow settle in the internal organs. The greatest harm they do to the cells of the liver. Intruding into them, the virus "replaces" the healthy cells with the affected ones. In addition, pathogenic cells can insert their genetic code into human DNA, which allows them to hide for a long time and not to fall under the influence of immune control. This factor is the main cause of the disease in a chronic form. It also promotes the development of a virus in the patient, which, in turn, can lead to acute hepatic insufficiency, the manifestation of liver cirrhosis and cancer tumors.

If we consider the process at the cellular level, the first symptoms of hepatitis C appear due to the destruction of the functionality of the liver cells. When the integrity of the inner shells is damaged, oxidation processes predominate. In the tissues, "holes" are formed, due to which enzymes and K ions are extracted from the cell, and sodium and calcium ions enter into it. The imbalance leads to the fact that the liquid is not removed and causes the cells to swell. Clinically, the picture is manifested by an increase in the body, the structure of the liver traces the necrosis (areas of dead cells), the exchange of bilirubin is disturbed, which is manifested by the development of jaundice.

Phases of infection

Specialists distinguish several phases of the course of the disease: acute, latent, reactivation and the process of recovery. However, it is possible to isolate the acute form and the chronic one, to which the last three phases belong. Consider in more detail the disease "hepatitis", the symptoms in women, the photo of the affected organ.

Acute phase

If the patient is diagnosed with acute hepatitis C, the symptoms will be as follows:

• Manifestation of acute hepatitis syndrome;
• Increased amount of transamin;
• The appearance of anti-HCV IgM and anti-HCV IgG on protein molecules in the absence of anti-HCV IgG;
• Detection of HCV RNA in the patient's blood.

The acute phase lasts about 6 months.

Latent phase

This stage may occur before an acute exacerbation of hepatitis C occurs. Symptoms first appear after 6 months or earlier. Wherein:

• Clinical manifestations are not observed;
• Insignificantly increases the level of transamin;
• Is determined by anti-HCV IG in an amount from 1: 160 and above;
• Is not determined by anti-HCV IgM;
• HCV RNA in the blood can already be detected.

The duration of this phase is usually about 10 years.

Reactivation

The slowing down of the virus is accompanied by the following characteristics:

• Residual indications of the acute phase;
• The first signs of chronic hepatitis;
• Increase in the transamin;
• Detection of anti-HCV IgM, anti-HCV IgG, RNA in the blood;

This stage is determined for 5-10 years and passes into cirrhosis of the liver, can manifest as a primary hepatocellular carcinoma.

Recovery

If the diagnosis of "hepatitis C" is determined, the symptoms, treatment, consequences are also studied and explained to the patient, you can proceed to the stage of convalescence. At this stage, there are their own criteria that determine the state of a person. These are:

• Lack of clinical indicators;
• Acceptable level of transamin;
• Detection of anti-HCV IgG and anti-HCV IgG in low titers and their gradual disappearance;
• Absence of anti-HCV IgM and HCV RNA in the blood.

Traditional treatment of hepatitis C

With the diagnosis of "hepatitis C", the treatment is prescribed by an infectious disease doctor. Often the main activities of a specialist are:

• Removal of inflammation in the liver tissues;
• Prevention of cirrhosis;
• Reduction in the concentration of viral cells and their complete destruction.

Treatment of the patient produces drugs - both expensive European drugs, and more democratic at the price of domestic counterparts. It should be noted that along with therapy it is necessary to adhere to a diet and completely eliminate the use of alcohol and tobacco products. Superfluous will also be significant physical exertion. The patient should be at rest.

Traditional medicine in the fight against hepatitis C

Many risk and resort to traditional medicine. With hepatitis C, women are recommended to take such drugs:

• Regularly (every 3 hours) to drink 2 tablespoons of infusion from the stems of corn stigmas, and once a day - a couple of spoons of fresh horseradish;
• Every day to drink on an empty stomach a glass of sage broth (it is possible with a spoon of honey); Two cups of decoction of buds or birch leaves (adding a pinch of baking soda); Can be alternated with 2 glasses of decoction of sage, herbs wormwood and juniper berries;
• It is recommended to prepare a decoction of St. John's wort, flowers of the immortelle and bark of the buckthorn and drink several glasses a day;
• As often as possible to drink mint tea or just a decoction.
• The salted cabbage pickle works favorably (it is necessary to drink several sips a day), garlic-lemon juice (no more than 6 tablespoons per day), potato juice (1.5 tablets per day), carrot, beet juice in the ratio 1: 1 (2-3 glasses a day), a decoction of St. John's wort (once a day 2 tablespoons), the juice of a dandelion (diluted in water 1:10).

For the early cleansing of the body, herbalists are recommended to do enemas once every 3 days with a rich decoction of chemist's chamomile.

What are the ways of preventing hepatitis C?

To date, scientists have not found an effective vaccine against hepatitis C, so the methods of prevention relate exclusively to minimizing the risks associated with possible penetration of the virus through the blood. In other words, it is necessary to reduce communication with people who are at risk: drug addicts, homosexuals. Cautious also should be in contact with persons who have undergone surgical treatment or blood transfusion. Particular attention should be paid to instruments that are intended for reusable public use (dental, manicure, hairdresser accessories).

In the event that there is a patient in your family, special measures must also be taken. It is necessary to distinguish separate essential necessities (tablewares, a toothbrush, machine tools, etc., on which blood can get). If the skin is damaged, the wound should be treated. Process all the places that the blood of a sick person accidentally fell into. The patient and all family members need to undergo a regular examination to prevent the development of the disease. Obligatory for prophylaxis is vaccination against hepatitis A and B, since infection with several viruses is treated by an order of magnitude more difficult.

If we talk about the national level, the reduction and control of hepatitis contributes:

• Raising the standard of living and culture of the population;
• Exclusion of systemic negligence in the field of health, introduction of a system of personal responsibility for erroneous medical actions;
• Introduction of insurance medicine.