Hepatitis C HCV

• Facts:
  Infectious, blood-borne disease transmitted by HCV
  Acute and chronic stages
• History / PE:
  Acute infection is usually asymptomatic, 80% develop chronic
  
  Chronic infection is typically mild, asymptomatic, wax and waning transaminase levels, with 20% of patients developing cirrhosis
  
• Treatment:
  Interferon and ribavirin (elevated ALT, positive HCV RNA)
• Complications:
  Hepatic encephalopathy
• Notes:
  Immune complexed extrahepatic complications are MC associated with hepatitis B (except for cryoglobulinemia )
  
  Patients with chronic HCV should receive vaccinations for BOTH hepatitis A and B
  
  Pregnant women can have a normal delivery
• See Also:
  Hepatitis
• Associated With:
  Chronic arthralgias
  Membranoproliferative nephropathy
  Cryoglobulinemia
  B cell lymphomas
  Plasmacytomas
  Autoimmune diseases (eg. Sjogren's syndrome , thyroiditis )
  Lichen planus
  Porphyria cutanea tarda
  Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura