Acute Infection – Any infection
characterised by signs and symptoms that last for a short period of
time. Acute infection with hepatitis C is often very mild, lasts less
than 6 months (often less than 12 weeks) and goes unnoticed by many
people.
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) –
An enzyme which, when found in the blood in elevated quantities, generally
indicates liver inflammation.
Albumin – A circulating protein
produced by the liver. In severe liver disease, albumin levels may be
low.
Alcoholic liver disease –
the term applied to a group of liver problems caused by alcohol. These
include fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis.
Alcoholic hepatitis – inflammation,
fatty changes and injury to liver cells caused by alcohol. In this condition,
there is usually fibrosis (scarring) present as well.
Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) –
a protein produced by certain malignant tumours eg. Hepocellular Carcinoma.
It’s estimation is sometimes used as a marker for the diagnosis
of these tumours or their recurrence. It can show up also in benign
liver conditions.
Antibodies – Proteins produced
by the immune system in response to bacteria, viruses or other antigenic
substances. In the case of hepatitis C, antibodies are produced in response
to the virus and indicate past or present infection.
Antiviral – acting against
a virus.
Aspartate transaminase (AST) –
An enzyme which if elevated in the blood indicates usually, Liver,
Muscle or Heart inflammation or damage.
Antiviral treatment – drugs
used to suppress and/or eradicate a virus.
Auto-immune hepatitis – A
hepatitis caused by the body’s immune system mistakenly recognizes
some of its own proteins as being foreign and develops antibodies against
them.
Bilirubin – a yellow pigment
formed by the breaking down of old red blood cells.
Biopsy – a small sample of
tissue, taken for microscopic examination to determine the nature or
severity of a disease process.
Blood –borne virus –
A virus that is transmitted by blood or body fluids that contain blood.
Examples are hepatitis B, C and HIV.
CD4 cells (also known as T cells or T helper
cells) – A type of blood cell that protects the body against
viral, fungal or protozoal infection. HIV replicates or multiplies within
CD4 cells and destroys them in the process.
Chronic infection – In hepatitis
this refers to an infection that is ongoing for more than six months.
It does not refer
to the
severity
of the disease.
Cirrhosis – Extensive and,
usually, permanent scarring of the liver. Cirrhosis interferes
with the normal functioning of the liver.
Co-infection – A general term
referring to infection with two or more infectious agents. Hepatitis
C co-infection refers to infection with hepatitis C and another blood-borne
virus such as HIV and/or hepatitis B.
Combination therapy – The
use of two or more types of treatment in combination to achieve optimum
results or to reduce toxicity. In hepatitis C treatment, this term refers
to a combination of the drugs, Interferon and Ribavirin.
Complementary therapies –
The various systems of healing that are not regarded as part of orthodox
treatment by the medical profession. These therapies have not been validated
using scientific principles.
Disclosure (hepatitis C related)
– The act of telling other people that you have hepatitis C. Apart
from informing the Blood Bank, individuals are not legally obliged to
disclose their hepatitis C status. Disclosure to partners, family, friends,
employers, insurers and health workers is a personal and potentially
difficult decision.
Endoscopy – Direct visual
examination of any part of the interior of the body by means of an optical
viewing instrument (endoscope). This procedure is used to examine the
stomach (gastroscopy) and colon (colonoscopy).
Extra-hepatic – Outside the
liver.
Fatty liver – Fatty liver
is the accumulation of fat in liver cells. Another term used to identify
this condition is fatty infiltration of the liver or steatosis.
Fibrosis – Scarring. Usually
occurs after prolonged inflammation.
Gallstones – The small fig-shaped
bag, lying on the under side of the liver, into which bile, secreted
by the liver, passes to be stored and concentrated.
Genotype – A term used to
describe the specific genetic structure of hepatitis C. The ten identified
genotypes are believed to be closely related in their genetic make-up,
but differ sufficiently such that each genotype results in a different
immune response and response to treatment.
Gilbert’s syndrome –
A common, often inherited disease, where the processing by the liver
of the pigment bilirubin, is sluggish. This can lead to an abnormal
increase in bilirubin the blood and a yellowish tinge to the skin (jaundice).
HAV – The hepatitis A virus.
HBV – The hepatitis B virus.
HCV – The hepatitis C virus.
HCV antibody test – The routine
test to determine past or present infection with the HCV virus.
HCV RNA (PCR) – directly detects
viral sequences (HCV RNA) in serum. If positive, indicates present infection.
Haemochromatosis – A genetic
disorder of iron regulation (metabolism) in the body. This results in
excess iron being stored in the tissues. Iron accumulates over a long
period of time, causing “iron overload”.
Haemophilia – A group of inherited
bleeding disorders in which there is a deficiency in factor 8 or 9,
necessary for coagulation of the blood. Haemophilia almost exclusively
affects males.
Hepatitis – A general term,
meaning inflammation of the liver.
Hepatocyte – A liver cell.
Hepatoma – Primary liver cancer.
Hepatotoxic – Any substance
that causes harm to the liver.
HIV – The Human Immunodeficiency
virus.
Household transmission – The
term given to the transmission of a virus in a household setting. In
the case of hepatitis C, household transmission is extremely rare.
Immune system – The body’s
defence against any foreign substance. A major function of the immune
system is to combat infections caused by micro-organisms, and it also
acts to protect against the effects of drugs, toxins and cancer cells.
Interferon – A substance produced
naturally by the body to help defend itself against viral infection.
The administration of synthetically manufactured interferon alpha in
large doses can help to reduce the amount of hepatitis C in the blood
and slow down or stop the disease process.
Monotherapy – The use of one
type of treatment. In the case of hepatitis C, this refers to the use
of Interferon on its own. Monotherapy is now only used in patients who
cannot tolerate Combination therapy.
Liver function tests – This
refers to the measurement of a number of enzymes in the blood which,
if elevated, infer liver inflammation. Despite the name, liver function
tests do not measure true function of the liver.
Liver toxic – Any substance
that causes harm to the liver.
NASH – Non alcoholic steatohepatitis
– fat in the liver in association with inflammation with or without
scarring.
Needlestick injury – Refers
to an injury with a needle or other sharp implement.
Non-A, non-B hepatitis – Before
hepatitis C was identified in 1989, this term was used to describe any
hepatitis virus that was not caused by either hepatitis A or hepatitis
B. It is now thought that the majority of cases of non-A, non-B hepatitis
were hepatitis C.
Oesophageal varices – Varicose
veins occurring at the lower end of the oesophagus (gullet). Can occur
in conditions such as cirrhosis of the liver.
Pegylated interferon – slow
release interferon, administered once a week. Pegylated interferon is
emerging as the most effective treatment for hepatitis C, when used
in combination with Ribavirin.
Platelets – Components of
blood formed in red bone marrow, which congregate at eh site of an injury
to form a clot. They are essential for coagulation or clotting.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
– A laboratory technique that amplifies the genetic material of
a virus to a level that can be detected. The presence or absence of
the virus can then be determined. PCR is used to directly measure for
the hepatitis C infection.
Primary biliary Cirrhosis –
A slowly progressive disease of the bile ducts inside the liver. Inflammation
of the bile ducts can eventually lead to scarring and this can sometimes
cause blockage and a back flow of bile.
Primary sclerosing cholangitis –
In this condition, the walls of the bile ducts become inflamed (cholangitis)
and the inflammation causes scarring and hardening (sclerosis). This
results in narrowing of the bile ducts.
Prognosis – A prediction of
the probable outcome of a disease, based on the condition of the person
and the usual course of the disease as observed in similar situations.
Prothrombin time – An indirect
measure of the proteins produced by the liver which will help with blood
clotting. This is an example of a true liver function test.
Quality of life – A complete
state of physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing, and not merely
the absence of disease.
Ribavirin – A drug that alters
the body’s immune response to viruses. Used in combination with
Interferon in the treatment of hepatitis C. Ineffective when used alone.
See Combination Therapy.
Subcutaneous injection – The
introduction of a hypodermic needle, inserted at a 45% angle into the
tissue beneath the skin. Interferon is administered in this way into
the fat of the abdomen or the outer thigh.
Sustained virological response (SVR)
– In reference to hepatitis C, this refers to the elimination
of the virus following treatment. This results to an improvement in
symptoms, and the reduction of potential long-term complications of
the virus such as cirrhosis. If the HCV RNA is undetectable 6 months
after the cessation of treatment, the patient is said to have achieved
a sustained viral response.
Ultrasound examination – High
frequency sound waves are transmitted through the skin and reflected
by the internal organ, the pelvis, the heart and the major blood vessels.
These “echoes” form a picture on a screen which can be examined
for abnormalities.
Vaccine – A substance that
stimulates and immune response and renders a person immune to a particular
infection. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, but vaccines are available
for both hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
Viral load – The amount of
virus circulating in the blood. In the case of hepatitis C, the viral
load is usually measured by a PCR quantitative test. The result is
given in the number of viral particles per ml of blood or international
units per ml.
