A comprehensive, empathetic guide for anyone suffering from this serious liver disease Approximately 4 million Americans and 170 million people worldwide suffer from hepatitis C, a viral liver disease that is treatable but not curable. It accounts for more than 40 percent of U.S. liver disease deaths-about 8,000 to 10,000 people annually-and is the most common reason for liver transplantation. This compassionate guide explains how hepatitis C affects the liver and the body and provides solid advice on today's treatment options-from drugs (and their side effects) to transplants and alternative therapies-as well as tips on dealing with the emotional and financial burdens the disease brings with it. Nina L Paul, PhD (New York, NY) earned her doctorate in infectious disease epidemiology and immunology from Yale University. She has researched viruses (human immunodeficiency virus and others) and the immune system.

Hepatitis B and C cause most cases of hepatitis in the United States and the world. The two diseases account for about a million deaths a year and 78 percent of world's hepatocellular carcinoma and more than half of all fatal cirrhosis. In 2013 viral hepatitis, of which hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are the most common types, surpassed HIV and AIDS to become the seventh leading cause of death worldwide. The world now has the tools to prevent hepatitis B and cure hepatitis C. Perfect vaccination could eradicate HBV, but it would take two generations at least. In the meantime, there is no cure for the millions of people already infected. Conversely, there is no vaccine for HCV, but new direct-acting antivirals can cure 95 percent of chronic infections, though these drugs are unlikely to reach all chronically-infected people anytime soon. This report, the first of two, examines the feasibility of hepatitis B and C elimination in the United States and identifies critical success factors. The phase two report will outline a strategy for meeting the elimination goals discussed in this report.

The global epidemic of hepatitis B and C is a serious public health problem. Hepatitis B and C are the major causes of chronic liver disease and liver cancer in the world. In the next 10 years, 150,000 people in the United States will die from liver disease or liver cancer associated with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Today, between 800,000 and 1.4 million people in the United States have chronic hepatitis B and between 2.7 and 3.9 million have chronic hepatitis C. People most at risk for hepatitis B and C often are the least likely to have access to medical services. Reducing the rates of illness and death associated with these diseases will require greater awareness and knowledge among health care workers, improved identification of at-risk people, and improved access to medical care. Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable disease. Although federal public health officials recommend that all newborns, children, and at-risk adults receive the vaccine, about 46,000 new acute cases of the HBV infection emerge each year, including 1,000 in infants who acquire the infection during birth from their HBV-positive mothers. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, which is transmitted by direct exposure to infectious blood. Hepatitis and Liver Cancer identifies missed opportunities related to the prevention and control of HBV and HCV infections. The book presents ways to reduce the numbers of new HBV and HCV infections and the morbidity and mortality related to chronic viral hepatitis. It identifies priorities for research, policy, and action geared toward federal, state, and local public health officials, stakeholder, and advocacy groups and professional organizations.

Testing and diagnosis of hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) infection is the gateway for access to both prevention and treatment services, and is a crucial component of an effective response to the hepatitis epidemic. Early identification of persons with chronic HBV or HCV infection enables them to receive the necessary care and treatment to prevent or delay progression of liver disease. Testing also provides an opportunity to link people to interventions to reduce transmission, through counselling on risk behaviors and provision of prevention commodities (such as sterile needles and syringes) and hepatitis B vaccination. These are the first WHO guidelines on testing for chronic HBV and HCV infection and complement published guidance by WHO on the prevention, care and treatment of chronic hepatitis C and hepatitis B infection. These guidelines outline the public health approach to strengthening and expanding current testing practices for HBV and HCV, and are intended for use across age groups and populations.

The number of people infected with the Hepatitis C virus has risen to a staggering 200 million worldwide, yet there is surprisingly little information available to the public about this silent epidemic. Cara Bruce and Lisa Montanarelli, both of whom live with Hepatitis C and have become experts on the condition, guide those newly diagnosed step-by-step through the first year following diagnosis. They provide crucial information about the nature of the disease, treatment options, diet, exercise, the myriad of emotional issues that accompany the diagnosis, and much more. The First Year--Hepatitis C will be an invaluable guide for everyone struggling to rebuild their lives after a Hepatitis C diagnosis.

Living with Hepatitis C: A Survivor's Guide is the first book written for the millions of Americans who suffer from this deadly disease. Now completely revised and updated, it offers guidance and answers for those infected by the deadly virus--and for their husbands, wives, families, and friends. Book jacket.