Hepatitis C, Introduction to Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a liver disease which is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV): 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. Hepatitis C is a major cause of liver cancer.

It is a blood-borne virus: the most common modes of infection are through exposure to small quantities of blood. which may happen through injection drug use, transfusion of unscreened blood, unsafe injection practices, unsafe health care, and blood products and sexual practices that lead to exposure to blood.

Worldwide, an estimated 71 million people are infected with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. A large number of those who are chronically infected will develop cirrhosis or liver cancer. WHO estimated that in the year 2016, approximately 399 000 people died from hepatitis C, mostly from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer). Antiviral medicines can cure more than 95% of persons with hepatitis C infection, by this reducing the risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer, but access to diagnosis and treatment is less. There is currently no effective vaccine against the hepatitis C virus.

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lung cancer

Definition: The World Health Organization (WHO) defines lung cancer as tumors arising from the respiratory epithelium (bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli). OR Lung cancer is a type of cancer caused by uncontrolled cell division of the respiratory epithelium (bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli). Normal structure and function of the lungs: Lungs are 2 sponge, pyramid-like organs located in the chest. Each lung is divided into sections called lobes. The right lung has three lobes while the left lung has two lobes. The left lung is smaller than the right one because the heart on the left side takes up more room of the chest. When you inhale air through mouth and nose it enters into lungs through trachea (windpipe). The trachea divides into tubes called bronchi, which enter the lungs and divide into smaller branches called bronchioles. At the end of bronchioles there are small tiny sacs called alveoli. These alveoli absorb oxygen from the inhaled air into your b...

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