Monday, 5 May 2014

LABORATARY TEST ANTI HEPATITISBC VIRUS(HCV) TOTAL

NORMAL RANGE

Negative  -    <=0.90
Equivocal -    0.91  1  1.10
Negative   -   >= 1.11

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is highly prevalent in the general population world wide.The biochemical changes occuring in an Hepatitis C virus infected person are increased levels of serum transaminases .It is also called as  Parenterally transmitted non-A, non- B hepatitis or HCV.

Characteristics

Single stranded, , small, positive sense RNA , enveloped, 50 nm diameter, Flaviviridae

PATHOGEENICITY;

  • Oneset is insidious, with anorexia, vague abdominal discomfort, nausea and vomiting, progressing to jaundice    ( less frequentlt than hepatitis B)
  • Severity ranges from unapparent cases in approximately 90% of infections to rare fulminating, fatal cases; chronic liver disease with fluctuating or persistently elevated liver enzymes is common, occuring after 50 - 80 %  of HCV infections in adults.
  • Of those with chronic liver disease, 30% - 60 % may develop chronic active hepatitis and 5% - 20 % may develop cirhosis;chronic infection is often not symptomatic.
  • There is an association between HCV infection and hepatocellular carcinoma, of these chronically infected persons, approximately 50% will develop cirhosis or cancer of the liver.

MODE OF TRANSMISSION

  • Percutaneous exposure to contaminated blood and plasma derivatives; contaminated needles and syringes are important vehicles of spread, especially among injecting drug users.
  • Risk of HCV transmission by hosehold contact and sexual activity has not been well defined, but efficiency of transmission via these routes appears to be low ;vertical transmission appears to be uncommon.
  • However risk of transmission may increase when the mother is co-infected with HIV; in over 40% of cases, the risk factor (s) for HCV transmission cannot be identified.