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Forgotten crisis "hepatitis C", is more harmful than hepatitis B

2017-10-18

Hepatitis C and hepatitis B are both caused by the hepatitis virus which can develop into chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. Both of which are globally prevalent (there are currently 257 million hepatitis B patients in the world and 185 million people infected with hepatitis C). Which one is more terrible? Many people will think of hepatitis B, but on the contrary, hepatitis C is the silent killer, in fact, it is more harmful than hepatitis B.


In the treatment of drugs, for hepatitis B, there are currently seven FDA-approved therapeutic agents: interferon-α, pegylated interferon-α, lamivudine, entecavir, telbivudine, adefovir dipivoxil and tenofovir, but these drugs can not permanently inhibit the hepatitis B virus; and for hepatitis C, the most effective treatment is to take direct antiviral drugs, which almost can achieve the purpose of curing hepatitis C. Then why is hepatitis C more serious than hepatitis B?


1, hepatitis B has vaccine, while hepatitis C has no vaccine;
2, conversion rate of hepatitis B chronic hepatitis is 5%, while 85% of patients with hepatitis C convert into cirrhosis and liver cancer;

3, hepatitis B has obvious symptoms, in order to be treated in time, but hepatitis C has no obvious symptoms and develop rapidly.


Hepatitis B virus will only parasitic in the liver cells, itself does not cause liver damage, only when body's immune system stimulated by the virus, and "fight" with each other, it will cause the death of liver cell; while hepatitis C virus is more cunning , 80% of patients in the infection will not appear any symptoms, but the virus is gradually erosion of the liver. Only when the condition is serious, it will be found, but the best treatment time has been missed.


How is Hepatitis C virus makes trouble in the human body?


1. Hepatitis C virus often provoke "war" in the human body


Hepatitis C virus core antigen and a peptide antigen of human cell nucleus are very similar, which leads to the immune system mistakenly to attack the peptide antigen as hepatitis C virus core antigen, and hurt own cells, causing autoimmune injury and related diseases. Therefore, hepatitis C virus is more prone to liver damage than hepatitis B virus infection.


2. Hepatitis C virus is constantly mutated


Variability of Hepatitis C virus is very strong, the body's immune system is too late to produce antibodies to the original virus antigen. Therefore, no vaccine has been developed to prevent hepatitis C virus infection.


To deal with hepatitis C virus, the key is to prevent its replication. Scientists from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that when removed a key protein IRGM gene of the liver cells, IRGM protein was no longer expressed, once the IRGM protein was not expressed, HCV virus will not penetrate into the Golgi, then can not achieve the copy of the virus.


For hepatitis B, we have vaccine, while for hepatitis C, we currently do not have vaccine, although the cure rate direct antiviral drug is higher, but these drugs are more expensive. The discovery of scientists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology may be able to provide clues for the development of new cheap drugs, thus benefiting more patients with hepatitis C.


Edited by Suzhou Yacoo Science Co., Ltd.

Copyright © Suzhou Yacoo Science Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved

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