We all have heard of the fact that liver disease is terrible. Getting yourself a disease like Hepatitis can make your liver deteriorate within no time. It is therefore advised to get yourself screened after six months or so to prevent yourself against such diseases. So have a look at whether full-blown Hepatitis C can result in fulminant liver disease?
Acute Hepatitis C viral infections are seen as the leading cause of fulminant hepatic failure. It results in a massive and immediate deterioration of the liver functions ranging from liver necrosis, causing encephalopathy or ultimately leading to multi-organ failure. So what is Fulminant liver disease? It is an immediate liver injury where there is rapid deterioration of liver functions with hepatic encephalopathy in patients without any previous liver disease. The symptoms of fulminant hepatic failure include fever, jaundice and encephalopathy. The presentation varies from person to person ranging from the development of renal failure, cerebral edema or portal hypertension. Other primary symptoms include fatigue, tiredness, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, feeling confused and sleepy, behavioral changes, easily bleeding along with the yellowish discoloration of the eyeballs or skin.
The leading cause of fulminant hepatic failure is diagnosed as viral Hepatitis, which is seen to affect 20-60% population, especially in endemic countries. The disease results in a high mortality rate of around 60-90%. Other than that the superimposed viral infections by Hepatitis A or B and the co-infections with HepC virus can also result in liver failure. The hallmark behind the viral infections is the rapid replication fo the virus leading to the aggressive condition. The liver infection enhances the immune response and extends the disease leading to the fulminant liver failure. There are other causes as well for fulminant hepatic failures like overdosage of drugs, autoimmune disorder or cancerous condition.
Consider watching this video to know what is a fatty liver.
To conclude, HCV can lead to fulminant hepatic failure. The condition is characterized as having rapid viral replication. The diagnosis of the disease is through checking the serum HCV RNA levels with PCR. This test serves as the earliest and one of the valuable, reliable markers for the immediate diagnosis of fulminant hepatitis C. other tests fro diagnosing and finding the cause of the fulminant hepatic failure include the blood and urine tests, liver imaging tests like CT scan, ultrasound or MRI. For further investigations, a liver biopsy might also be performed. The only therapeutic option available for treating the fulminant liver condition includes liver transplant. Other immediate measures include nucleotide or nucleoside analogs which are well-tolerated by the body and are beneficial for restricting the disease. Other medicines are also offered, which helps in relieving teh pressure over teh brain, and certain medications are also prescribed to prevent teh blood clots.
You can prevent yourself against fulminant viral Hepatitis through avoiding contact with the infected patient’s blood or other body fluids. Avoid drinking tap water in developing countries where there is a high chance of disease transmission.
Until Next Time,
Team Doctor ASKY!