The Havoc of Hep-C
The Hepatitis C virus has wreaked havoc in millions of lives around the world. Over 3 million people are newly infected worldwide every year, with 130–140 million people chronically infected.
Hepatitis C infections occur in nearly every part of the world but are most evident in Asian and African countries. Hepatitis C infection is widely distributed in regions where control practices are insufficient.
The virus is a blood-borne pathogen and is most commonly and unknowingly spread through shared needles, syringes, razors, medical equipment, and sexual contact leading to the infections and subsequent deaths of hundreds of thousands of people every year.
The incubation period for Hepatitis C usually ranges from two weeks to six months. Approximately 80% of infected individuals show no symptoms. Those with symptoms usually have a fever, fatigue, joint pain, and jaundice. The virus silently erodes the liver’s function over the course of years, leading to long-term complications such as liver failure, severe inflammation, liver damage, and even cancer.
The collaborative work of Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton, and Charles M. Rice, led to the discovery of the virus and has paved the way for effective testing and treatments. Harvey J. Alter conducted studies of transfusion-associated hepatitis which demonstrated that there was an unknown virus that was causing chronic hepatitis. Michael Houghton, who was working for the pharmaceutical company Chiron, isolated the genome of the virus. Charles M. Rice, a researcher at Washington University in St. Louis provided the concluding evidence that the unknown virus alone could cause Hepatitis.
Due to their work that led to the discovery of the virus, highly sensitive blood tests are now available. The discovery has allowed the rapid development of antiviral drugs targeted at Hepatitis C, which could cure the virus and possibly eradicate it from the global population. The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to the above trio for their work. The researchers, who also had collaborations with multiple researchers around the world, have shown the world that there is still a dire need for funding as well as brilliant minds in medical research.
To achieve the goal of eradicating the virus, combined international efforts for blood testing and antiviral drug development will be required. Further research and funds will be required for the development of a vaccine that can effectively cure the infection. Access to affordable and effective treatments across the globe will need to substantially increase.
Written by — Rishika Patil
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