The liver, the largest internal organ in the body, is located in the upper right-hand portion of the abdominal cavity, beneath the diaphragm and on top of the stomach, right kidney, and intestines (University of Utah Health Sciences Center, 2003). The organ is dark reddish-brown and shaped like a cone (ibid. ) The liver performs four basic functions, e. g. t produces bile that aids in digestion and the absorption of fat and certain vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K; it helps distribute the nutrients found in food; it filters many chemical substances and waste products from the blood, and it produces important proteins that regulates fluid transport in the blood and kidneys (USC Liver Transplant Program and Center for Liver Disease, n. d. ).
The ability of the liver to perform its function will be impaired if the liver becomes inflamed or infected. Liver disease and infections are caused by a variety of conditions including viral infections, bacterial invasion, chemical or physical changes within the body, malnutrition and alcoholism (McLaughlin, 2000). Although there are several causes and risks of the liver disease, this paper will be focus on hepatitis C, a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus. Prevalence of Hepatitis C The World Health Organization (2008) estimates that about 180 million people or 3% of the world population are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), 130 million of whom are chronic HCV carriers at risk of developing liver cirrhosis and/or liver cancer.
About three to four million persons are infected each year. In the same report, there is a 5% reported prevalence in Australia, Canada and northern Europe and 10% prevalence in many countries in Africa, Latin America and Central and South-Eastern Asia. The HCV in the Nile delta of Egypt was found to increase with age from 19% in those 10–19 years of age to about 60% in 30 year-old persons, and is thought to be the major cause of the high prevalence of liver cirrhosis in the country (ibid. ). In combination with hepatitis B, hepatitis C accounts for 75% of all cases of liver disease around the world (C. Everett Koop Institute, 2008).
Approximately 4. 1 million (1. 6%) Americans in the USA are currently infected with HCV of whom 3. 2 million are chronically infected (Nemours Foundation, 2008; Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006). Haemodialysis patients, haemophiliacs, drug addicts and people transfused with blood before 1990 are particularly affected by the disease and about 90% of new HCV infections are transmitted through the sharing of drug paraphernalia (WHO, 2008). Hepatitis C The word hepatitis denotes an inflammation of the liver without determining any specific cause.
A person with hepatitis may either have: a viral or bacterial infection of the liver; a liver injury caused by a toxin or a poisonous substance such as alcohol, drugs or poisonous mushrooms; a liver damage caused by interruption of the organ’s normal blood supply; an overdose of acetaminophen; a trauma to the abdomen in the liver area; or may have an autoimmune disorder (Nemours Foundation, 2008; Medline Plus, 2007) There are five hepatitis viruses that are often referred to as Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E.
The World Health Organization (2008) reported that hepatitis A and E are caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water while Hepatitis B, C and D occur as a result of parenteral contact with infected body fluids such as blood transfusions or invasive medical procedures using contaminated equipment. People with Hepatitis B can also spread the virus through sexual contact. Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that can lead to permanent liver damage as well as cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006; WebMD, 2008).
It is a chronic illness that is considered to be among the most serious type of hepatitis and one of the most common reasons for liver transplants and kidney dialysis in adults (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2007; Nemours Foundation, 2008). Hepatitis C is transmitted through contact with an infected person’s blood. A person could get this disease by sharing drug paraphernalia such as needles and straws, getting picked with a needle that has infected blood on it, having unprotected sex with an infected person, being born to a mother with hepatitis C (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, 2008).
In some cases one may get hepatitis C by getting a tattoo or body piercing with unsterilized tools or through blood transfusions or organ transplant before 1992 (ibid. ). There are no signs of symptoms for people who are infected with hepatitis C in the early stage. However, when symptoms occur they are generally mild and flu-like and may include slight fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, poor appetite, muscle and joint pains, and tenderness in the liver area, fever (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2007).
There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. A blood test can determine if a person has hepatitis C. A doctor may also recommend a liver biopsy if test results indicate that one has HCV in order to determine the severity of the disease, to rule out other causes of liver problem, and to guide treatment decisions (ibid. ). A biopsy is a procedure in which a small sample of liver tissue is removed for microscopic analysis. The weekly injections of a drug called pegylated interferon alfa combined with twice-daily oral doses of ribavirin (Rebetol) to clear the virus from your bloodstream is the treatment of hepatitis C (Familydoctor. rg, 2006; Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2007).
Consequences of Hepatitis C Hepatitis C represents a great economic cost since it infects three and a half more times as many people in the United States than does hepatitis B (C. Everett Koop Institute, 2008). This only means that more than 80% of hepatitis C patients will develop chronic liver disease and may need liver transplants. The average cost of liver transplantation for hepatitis C is estimated at $280,000 per patient.
Since there are about 1,000 liver transplants done each year, the government would incur an average health care cost close to $300,000 annually for hepatitis C patients alone (ibid. ). For individual patients who do not undergo liver transplant, the average lifetime cost has been estimated to be about $100,000. With regards to the social stigmatization of persons afflicted with hepatitis C virus, Zacks, et al (2006) found out that majority of HCV subjects alter common behaviors and report financial insecurity, internalized shame, and social rejection, regardless of the method of HCV acquisition, educational level or socioeconomic status.
People with HCV are less likely to share drinking glasses and towels, and prepare food. They also had decrease frequency of kissing and sexual intercourse and an increase use of condoms. In another study, Butt (2008) concluded that the central and distinctive feature of hepatitis C stigma in the Western world is its association with illicit drug use. Because of its association with injecting drug use, which is a main transmission mode, the stigma attached to hepatitis C means that hepatitis C is not just a medical diagnosis but also a social diagnosis (Richmond, et al, 2004).
Conclusion Hepatitis C is a viral disease that affects the liver. The current data reveals that more than 200 million people around the world are infected with hepatitis C. If the spread of HCV cannot be controlled and if the infected population cannot be treated, the death rate from this disease will further increase and will exceed that of other infectious diseases.
Prevalence and other studies have suggested that complications of the liver disease associated with chronic hepatitis C infection may potentially require substantial health care resources and generate very high costs for medical systems in many countries worldwide. People with HCV are suffering from the social stigma due to the association of the disease with sharing of drug paraphernalia and drug use. Hence, hepatitis C is not only an economic burden but also a medical and social diagnosis.