| Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by | | | | this type of medication. At the opposite pole, |
| infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV). This type of | | | | patients with chronic or more advanced forms of |
| virus has been recently identified to cause a wide | | | | hepatitis C are often confronted with relapse soon |
| range of liver diseases such as cirrhosis (liver cancer). | | | | after they stop receiving such treatments. |
| Without the aid of treatment, persons with hepatitis | | | | The main problem with interferon-based treatments |
| C can over time develop serious complications that | | | | is that they are inappropriate for patients with |
| involve the liver, including cancerous activity at the | | | | chronic forms of hepatitis C. In addition, long-term |
| level of the organ. In order to minimize the risks of | | | | treatments with interferon can produce severe |
| complications and to control the effects of hepatitis | | | | side-effects and thus they aren't usually administered |
| C, doctors often prescribe a course of specific | | | | for more than 6 months. For patients with chronic |
| medications right after they identify the presence of | | | | hepatitis C and patients who fail to respond to |
| HCV in patients. As in the case of other similar | | | | treatments with interferon, combination treatments |
| infectious diseases, hepatitis C treatments are most | | | | are generally the best option available. Commonly |
| efficient when prescribed in the early stages of the | | | | used combination treatments consist of peginterferon |
| infection. Otherwise, hepatitis C can eventually | | | | (chemically altered alpha interferon) and strong |
| become chronic, rendering existing treatments unable | | | | antiviral medications. A very extensively used antiviral |
| to completely cure the infection. | | | | medication is ribavirin. This efficient antiviral agent is |
| Hepatitis C treatments commonly involve the | | | | often administered along with peginterferon in order |
| administration of interferon, a medication that was | | | | to obtain the best results. Administered in the right |
| initially designed to treat patients diagnosed with | | | | doses and over longer periods of time, combination |
| leukemia. Interferon is actually a natural body protein | | | | treatments with peginterferon and ribavirin can |
| produced when viral infectious agents intrude inside | | | | successfully cure patients with acute hepatitis C, as |
| the human body. Although the body produces | | | | well as patients with chronic, recidivating forms of |
| interferon in small quantities, this protein is very | | | | the disease. |
| effective in fighting against viral infections. However, | | | | While these previously mentioned forms of |
| the benefic effects of interferon can nowadays be | | | | treatment are efficient among patients with |
| enhanced by modifying the protein in the laboratory. | | | | uncomplicated forms of hepatitis C, they are often |
| The majority of patients with mild, uncomplicated | | | | useless when administered to patients with advanced |
| forms of hepatitis C generally respond well to | | | | hepatitis. For patients with severe hepatitis C, liver |
| treatments with interferon, completely recovering | | | | transplant is the only available option in present. |
| from disease after completing longer courses with | | | | |