Health Care > If somebody has Hep C, can they not have liver damage?Related Photo
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My friend has hep C, just diagnosed. He could have had it for 15 years. He does not drink alcohol or have any symptoms at all, could this mean that he is a carrier or it could just take longer to show in him? Can interfelon and ribavarin be taken by somebody who has no symptoms and has had it for 15 years (maybe) Could he clear it and be fine even if he has had it that long and live a normal healthy life???
If your friend has had HCV for 15 years, he has had symptoms. HCV is not asympomatic. HCV does not just reside in the liver-it is in all our body, organs and tissues ect.
In my 39 years, I have never met a carrier, although they do exsist. chances are 15% probability your friend is a carrier, however, 85% of those with HCV have chronic infection.
Now, I had HCV that I know of for at least 26 years. My liver damage was minimal, however, liver damage does not coinside with the degree of symptoms and vice versa.
HCV has many bi-directional diseases associated with the disease that may not show up right away, however, you may have a symptom of lets say, a Skin rash- this could be attributed to the HCV indirectly or directly.
Depression is usually the first sign, or some sort of other metnal disease-even ADHD.
About clearing HCV? That is really dependent of the genotype. There are many subtypes, however, 1a's and 1b's are hardest to treat (about 15%) clear the virus.
2a and 2b's have the highest success rate.
1a and 1b are most prevelant in the United States, 2a and 2b represent about 15% of the population (more prevlelent in european countries) and 3a, 3b, 4a are the remainder with mixed outcomes from treatment.
When you have hcv, things are never fine. Those that are told they cleared the virus on their own can have re-activation. That is why regardless of what genotype, cleared, infectious or treated you should have a check up every year.
Those with HCV Infection can have elevated liver enzymes (alt and ast levels in a liver panel Blood lab) or they can remain well within the normal limits, or they can "see-saw". This is why many with HCV go undiagnosed because the standard liver panel test is not a reliable indication of disease. Some think that because their ALT and AST levels are normal and they know they have hcv, they think the virus isn't doing anything-but it ALWAYS is doing damage! (unless a sustained viral response to antiviral meds)
My advice to your friend if he finds out that he has chronic hcv is to jump on the antiviral Chemotherapy wagon...the sooner the better as some diseases associated with hcv infection are not reversable.
As for sexual intercourse, hcv is not a true std because blood has to be present and blood transfer has to take place. HCV corpuscles found in vaginal, semen or other bodily fluids are NOT infectious and not transferable. Again, blood to blood is the only way to acquire HCV.
hugs and good luck to you both.
RISS Manager - Hepatitis C Objectives.
