Hepatitis C
Article Abstract:
Chronic hepatitis C infection may be a significant public health problem by causing chronic liver disease and liver cancer. Hepatitis C infects people all over the world and is transmitted mainly through infected blood and less frequently through body fluids. Eighty percent of patients infected with hepatitis C may develop chronic hepatitis C, and 20% to 35% may develop cirrhosis of the liver. Interferon-alpha-2b is the only approved drug for treating chronic hepatitis C, although no drug can eliminate the virus. Careful patient selection and more intensive interferon therapy may improve treatment rates of response.
Publication Name: Annals of Internal Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0003-4819
Year: 1996
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Diagnosis and monitoring of Whipple disease by polymerase chain reaction
Article Abstract:
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) may be effective in diagnosing Whipple disease and in monitoring the effectiveness of treatment. Whipple disease is caused by infection with the bacterium Tropheryma whippelii, which cannot be cultured. For this reason, the disease is hard to diagnose. PCR was used on lymph and bowel biopsy samples from 30 patients with confirmed Whipple disease and 8 patients with suspected Whipple disease. The test was positive in over 90% of both groups. Following antibiotic treatment, a positive test also reliably predicted which patients would relapse.
Publication Name: Annals of Internal Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0003-4819
Year: 1997
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Hepatitis C virus genotypes in the United States: epidemiology, pathogenicity, and response to interferon therapy
Article Abstract:
The most prevalent types of chronic hepatitis C in the United States may be types 1a and 1b. Researchers analyzed 179 blood samples from hepatitis C patients in four regions of the U.S. A total of 104 patients (58%) had hepatitis C type 1a and 38 (21%) had type 1b. These patients had more serious liver disease and did not respond as well to interferon treatment than did patients with other types of hepatitis C. Blood samples were taken in tertiary care medical centers and were analyzed with the Simmonds system.
Publication Name: Annals of Internal Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0003-4819
Year: 1996
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