TEHRAN — Hepatitis C has been eradicated in patients with hemophilia in three provinces of Lorestan, South Khorasan, and Gilan, respectively west, east, and north of the country, head of Iran’s Hepatitis Network Moayyed Alavian has said.

In an article titled “hepatitis C viral infection in patients with hemophilia and hemolytic disorders” coauthored by Eric S. Orman, M.D. and Michael W. Fried, M.D. it is asserted that  adults with hemophilia have one of the highest prevalence rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among all populations at risk for this disease. Similarly, patients with hemolytic disorders requiring chronic transfusions (e.g., sickle cell disease and thalassemia) were at high risk for HCV acquisition before adequate blood donor screening practices were instituted.

“In other provinces hepatitis C rate have decreased by 90 percent and we hope to fully eradicate the disease within next 3 years nationwide,” IRNA quoted Alavi as saying on Monday. 

Over the past few years some 40 to 50 percent of the patients with hemophilia suffered hepatitis C, however, by diagnosing them and treating them the number have diminished drastically, he explained.

In general there were some 186,000 patients diagnosed with hepatitis C in the country of whom some 10,000 were treated over the one and half year ago, he highlighted. 

According to World Health Organization hepatitis C is a liver disease 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 blood borne 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.

Globally, an estimated 71 million people have chronic hepatitis C infection and a significant number of those who are chronically infected will develop cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Approximately 399 000 people die each year from hepatitis C, mostly from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Antiviral medicines can cure more than 95 percent of persons with hepatitis C infection, thereby reducing the risk of death from liver cancer and cirrhosis, but access to diagnosis and treatment is low.

There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C; however research in this area is ongoing.

MQ/MG