An Overview of Hepatitis-C

An Overview of Hepatitis-C

Dr. Lewis Teperman heads transplants at the NYU Langone Medical Center, where in addition he serves as vice-chair of surgery. As a surgeon, Dr. Lewis Teperman specializes in liver transplants and therapies for diseases of the liver. Currently, Hepatitis-C is the most prevalent cause for liver transplantation in the US.

An Overview of Hepatitis-C

Hepatitis-C is a virus that is transmitted through blood. A number of scenarios, including sexual intercourse, needle sharing, and other forms of contact with an infected person’s blood, can be the sources of infection. The virus has several genotypes, with each one responding differently to treatments. A blood test can be performed to screen for the disease, which often displays no symptoms until more severe issues arise, like cirrhosis of the liver. Symptoms may present themselves, such as jaundice, fatigue, dark urine, abdominal swelling, pain in the right upper abdomen, nausea, vomiting, and itching. Many of these do not appear until the virus has advanced, sometimes remaining undetected for more decades. New treatments are underway to prevent recurrence of Hepatitis C after liver transplant. NYULMC is pioneering these efforts in mutli-institutional trials.

An Overview of Hepatitis-C

Fortunately, recent developments in treatment methods have improved the outlook for patients. Prevention of liver cancer and cirrhosis are the primary concerns, and many therapies available today decrease these risks greatly.