Abstract
Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) represents a major public health concern today because of its prevalence in the United States. Acute HCV is commonly asymptomatic and often results in chronic disease. However, symptoms related to chronic disease may not appear for decades. Patients with HCV have a broad spectrum of symptoms, which vary from elevated liver function test results to cirrhosis, liver cancer and end stage liver disease. Past treatment therapies have not been highly effective; however, a new treatment is currently available. Today, many high-risk activities are associated with HCV infection. Blood transfusions are no longer a risk factor. However, 20% of individuals who received transfused blood prod ucts contracted hepatitis C nearly two decades ago. Therefore, cancer survivors who received blood products to combat chemotherapy induced anemia and thrombocytopenia before 1980 represent a population at risk. It is important that nurses caring for these patients understand the patho physiology, etiology, transmission, and course of HCV. This knowledge will enable nurses to encourage serological testing to identify infected individ uals. Once identified, patients with hepatitis C can receive social support and appropriate referrals to help them deal with the psychosocial issues related to long-term effects and secondary illnesses.
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