Key facts:
- Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus: the virus can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis, ranging in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness.
- The hepatitis C virus is a bloodborne virus and the most common modes of infection are through exposure to small quantities of blood. This may happen through injection drug use, unsafe injection practices, unsafe health care, and the transfusion of unscreened blood and blood products.
- Globally, an estimated 71 million people have chronic hepatitis C infection.
- A significant number of those who are chronically infected will develop cirrhosis or liver cancer.
- Approximately 399 000 people die each year from hepatitis C, mostly from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
- Antiviral medicines can cure more than 95% of persons with hepatitis C infection, thereby reducing the risk of death from liver cancer and cirrhosis, but access to diagnosis and treatment is low.
- There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C; however research in this area is ongoing.
Reference: WHO website. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs164/en/
For more information:
Sites
· What is hepatitis? |
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http://www.who.int/hepatitis/en/ |
· Hepatitis |
· Viral Hepatitis |
Publications
http://www.who.int/hepatitis/publications/global-hepatitis-report2017/en/ |
· Global hepatitis report, 2017
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http://www.who.int/hepatitis/publications/hepatitis-c-guidelines-2016/en/ |
· Guidelines for the screening, care and treatment of persons with chronic hepatitis C infection |
http://www.who.int/hepatitis/publications/hepatitis-b-guidelines/en/ |
· Guidelines for the prevention, care and treatment of persons with chronic hepatitis B infection |
http://www.who.int/hepatitis/publications/hep-c-access-report/en/ |
· Global report on access to hepatitis C treatment - Focus on overcoming barriers |
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs328/en/ |
· Hepatitis A (Fact sheet) |
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs204/en/ |
· Hepatitis B (Fact sheet) |
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs164/en/ |
· Hepatitis C (Fact sheet) |
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/hepatitis-d/en/ |
· Hepatitis D (Fact sheet) |
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs280/en/ |
· Hepatitis E (Fact sheet)
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https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/resources/professionals/pdfs/abctable.pdf |
· The ABCs of Hepatitis |
· The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in Egypt 2015: implications for future policy on prevention and treatment |
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· Hepatitis C virus infection and risk factors in health-care workers at Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt |
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4077484/ |
· Known and probable risk factors for hepatitis C infection |
· Hepatitis C in Egypt – past, present, and future |
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· Making a Decision on When to Initiate HCV Therapy |
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http://www.aphc.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/HCV_PHC_2017_Eliminat.pdf |
· HCV Elimination in Egypt |
· Health Issues Survey, 2015 |
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https://www.eipr.org/sites/default/files/pressreleases/pdf/hcv_treatment_in_egypt.pdf |
· HCV Treatment in Egypt Why cost remains a challenge? |
http://www.egfrhep.com/2016/The%20Egyptian%20National%20HCV%20Control%20Program.pdf |
· The Egyptian National HCV Control Program Treatment outcome in the Era of DAAs |
Polices &Strategies
http://www.who.int/hepatitis/strategy2016-2021/ghss-hep/en/ |
· Global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis 2016-2021 |
http://www.searo.who.int/entity/hepatitis/viral-hepatitis-action-plan.pdf?ua=1 |
· Regional Action Plan for Viral Hepatitisin South-East Asia: 2016-2021 |
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/183726/1/9789241509350_eng.pdf |
· Manual for the Development and Assessment of National Viral Hepatitis Plans |
http://www.natap.org/2014/HCV/EGYPTIANVIRALHEPATITISACTIONPLAN%20201.pdf |
· Plan of Action for the Prevention, Care & Treatment of Viral Hepatitis, Egypt 2014-2018 |
News and Events
http://www.who.int/hepatitis/news-events/world-hepatitis-summit-2017/en/ |
· World Hepatitis Summit 2017 |
http://www.who.int/campaigns/hepatitis-day/2017/en/ |
· World Hepatitis Day, 28 July 2017 |
Media
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/2017/wha70/united-arab-emirates-prize/en/ |
· United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize 2017 |