Learn about Hepatitis C

The Hepatitis C virus is a blood-borne pathogen that primarily affects the liver. The liver is a large reddish-brown glandular organ located in the upper right portion of the abdominal cavity. This video animation shows how the Hepatitis C virus spreads t

The liver is a large reddish brown glandular organ located in the upper right portion of the abdominal cavity. It secretes bile and performs several important functions. The hepatitis C virus is a blood borne pathogen and primarily affects the liver. The hepatitis C virus contains RNA or ribonucleic acid as the genetic material in it’s core which is surrounded by a fatty envelope. The virus enters the body circulates in the bloodstream and attaches to liver cells. Once attached, the virus releases the RNA into the healthy cells. The viral RNA then replicates itself hundreds or thousands of times, making genetic material required to produced new viruses. These new viruses in turn infect other liver cells. Eventually, this process shuts down most of the normal functions of the liver cell and damages it. Symptoms of hepatitis; jaundice, mild fever, muscle and joint aches, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, this infection may continue for years. Eventually, resulting in scarring of the liver tissue called cirrhosis. Liver cancer can also develop in later stages.