#1-5 STUDENT NAME ORGANISM 18 CONTACT OR ECTO BORNE INFECTIOUS DISEASE ORGANISMs
ID: 81051 • Letter: #
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#1-5
STUDENT NAME ORGANISM 18 CONTACT OR ECTO BORNE INFECTIOUS DISEASE ORGANISMs 1. Hepatitis C virus (NO SLIDE AVAILABLE) Category: (i.e. bacteria, fungi, protozoa, virus) Gram Rxs if bacteria: (if not bacteria, indicate Not Applicable) Unique key characteristics: (ie. capsule, cysts, endospores, AND key morphological information) 2. DISEASE (S): (Use technically accurate name & if applicable common name) Specifics regarding transmission mechanism (ie. vehicle, vector, any relevant info) 3. SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: (specify if differences between male & female symptoms; Title of slide: any key age groups affected) 4. TREATMENT (specify drugs used; any key factors in successful treatment; any Magnification: resistance issues; cure rate; age differences) If no slide specific source 5. PREVENTION: (include if vaccine or not & who to be vaccinated; specific precautions to prevent contractingspreading)Explanation / Answer
The virus is spread by contact with contaminated blood; for example, from sharing needles or from unsterile tattoo equipment.
1. Causative Organism - Hepatitis C virus
Category - VIRUS,
Gram RXS-not applicable,
Characteristics - is a small (55–65 nm in size), enveloped, positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae. Hepatitis C virus is the cause of hepatitis C and some cancers such as liver cancer (Hepatocellular carcinoma, abbreviated HCC) and lymphomas in humans. The hepatitis C virus particle consists of a core of genetic material (RNA), surrounded by an icosahedral protective shell of protein, and further encased in a lipid (fatty) envelope of cellular origin. Two viral envelope glycoproteins, E1 and E2, are embedded in the lipid envelope. Single stranded RNA genome.
Diseases- Hepatitis C is a liver disease / cirrhosis caused by the hepatitis C virus. the virus can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis, ranging in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. The hepatitis C virus is a bloodborne virus and the most common modes of infection are through exposure to small quantities of blood. This may happen through injection drug use, unsafe injection practices, unsafe health care, and the transfusion of unscreened blood and blood products.
Transmission - The hepatitis C virus is a bloodborne virus. It is most commonly transmitted through:
-injecting drug use through the sharing of injection equipment; the reuse or inadequate sterilization of medical equipment, especially syringes and needles in healthcare settings; and the transfusion of unscreened blood and blood products.HCV itself is not cytopathic, liver damage in chronic hepatitis C is commonly attributed to immune-mediated mechanisms. HCV proteins interact with several pathways in the host's immune response and disrupt pathogen-associated pattern recognition pathways, interfere with cellular immunoregulation via CD81 binding and subvert the activity of NK (natural killer) cells as well as CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells. Finally, HCV-specific T-cells become increasingly unresponsive and apparently disappear, owing to several possible mechanisms, such as escape mutations in critical viral epitopes, lack of sufficient help, clonal anergy or expansion of regulatory T-cells. Cytotoxic lymphocytes kill HCV-infected cells via the perforin/granzyme pathway, but also release Fas ligand and inflammatory cytokines such as IFNgamma (interferon gamma). Release of soluble effector molecules helps to control HCV infection, but may also destroy uninfected liver cells and can attract further lymphocytes without HCV specificity to invade the liver. Bystander damage of these non-specific inflammatory cells will expand the tissue damage triggered by HCV infection and ultimately activate fibrogenesis.
Symptoms -
The incubation period for hepatitis C is 2 weeks to 6 months. Following initial infection, approximately 80% of people do not exhibit any symptoms. Those who are acutely symptomatic may exhibit fever, fatigue, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, grey-coloured faeces, joint pain and jaundice (yellowing of skin and the whites of the eyes).
Screening and diagnosis -
Due to the fact that acute HCV infection is usually asymptomatic, few people are diagnosed during the acute phase. In those people who go on to develop chronic HCV infection, the infection is also often undiagnosed because the infection remains asymptomatic until decades after infection when symptoms develop secondary to serious liver damage.
HCV infection is diagnosed in 2 steps:
1.Screening for anti-HCV antibodies with a serological test identifies people who have been infected with the virus.
2.If the test is positive for anti-HCV antibodies, a nucleic acid test for HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) is needed to confirm chronic infection because about 15–45% of people infected with HCV spontaneously clear the infection by a strong immune response without the need for treatment. Although no longer infected, they will still test positive for anti-HCV antibodies.
Treatment - there is currently no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C infection. Much progress has been made in the treatment of hepatitis C. The rate of cure has increased (above 90%-95%) with the development of direct-acting, all-oral antiviral medications. Treatment results in reduced inflammation and scarring of the liver in most patients who are cured of hepatitis C and also occasionally (but to a much lesser extent) in those who relapse or are not cured.
Prevention -
hand hygiene: including surgical hand preparation, hand washing and use of gloves; safe and appropriate use of health care injections; safe handling and disposal of sharps and waste; provision of comprehensive harm-reduction services to people who inject drugs including sterile injecting equipment; testing of donated blood for hepatitis B and C (as well as HIV and syphilis); training of health personnel; and promotion of correct and consistent use of condoms. education and counselling on options for care and treatment; immunization with the hepatitis A and B vaccines to prevent coinfection from these hepatitis viruses and to protect their liver; early and appropriate medical management including antiviral therapy if appropriate; and regular monitoring for early diagnosis of chronic liver disease.
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