At least 600,000 Mexicans live with hepatitis C and do not know



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Experts recommend ongoing controls to detect the virus. With antiretrovirals, the possibility of cure is 95%

In Mexico, about 600,000 people are living with the hepatitis C virus and still do not know it, in many cases, because of the fact that they are not infected. they have no idea of ​​the risk factors, ignorance or, most unfortunate, fear of discovering that they are carriers of this virus, for which they prefer not to be tested, although this condition is currently curable, said Dr. Graciela Castro, president of the Mexican Association of Hepatology.

With the new antiretrovirals approved four years ago, the chances of cure exceed 95%.

At a press conference, before the World Day Against Hepatitis, which is commemorated on the 28th of the current month, he highlighted people with risk factors, for which he Hepatitis C test is highly recommended: those who received blood transfusions before 1994 – when there was no strict control over the handling of donations and blood transfusions -, consumers of Injectable drugs and those who used contaminated needles – not sterile – in tattoos, piercings, piercings, in institutions that do not have the necessary sterility conditions.

He points out that institutions such as IMSS, ISSSTE and Seguro Popular already offer treatments whose costs can reach 170,000 pesos per patient, "however, there are still very few Hospitals where these patients are treated and there are many people diagnosed who are waiting to start receiving treatment. "

In this regard, Luis Adrián Quiroz, coordinator of the organization "Living with HIV" of the IMSS, stressed the need to increase the number of hospitals trained to treat the patients. He warned that if the hepatitis C virus is not treated in a timely manner, it can lead to many complications: cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer.

In turn, Dr. Jorge Luis Poo, Medical Director of the Friends of the Liver Group, pointed out that most of the time hepatitis is asymptomatic, which is not very good because that people feel good, they do not have discomfort and do not go to the doctor, until he feels bad.

"We are talking about the fact that it can take 10 to 30 years for the person to develop chronic hepatitis, or cirrhosis, and unfortunately, when they consult the doctor, they already have a chronic complication or cirrhosis, which presents with symptoms such as vomiting of blood, water in the abdomen and encephalopathy, which is when the patient is disoriented, and sleeps a lot during the day.

"When the patient arrives in these phases, he is already suffering from advanced cirrhosis and treatment needs to be administered.Then we have to perform other types of interventions, such as a graft transplant. liver, "said the specialist.

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