Today, hepatitis C virus infection is a curable disease

Abstract:

Hepatitis C virus is a hepatotropic virus with six major genotypes. Chronic hepatitis C is an infection which lasts longert han sixm onths, representing a major cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and it is the most common cause of liver transplantation in the modern world. There is an estimated 35,000 to 45,000 patients living with chronic hepatitis C in Croatia. The prevalence being the highest in subgroups of intravenous addicts, chronic hemodialysis patients, and in polytransfused individuals. Previous interferon-based standard therapeutic protocols were effective in 40-80% of individuals. The first registration of a new direct-actinganti viral medicines generation brought about a revolution in the therapeutic care of this patient population. The basic advantages of the new therapeutic protocols are high efficacy, low levels of resistance, fewer side effects, and simpler administration. A chance to cure more than 90% of treated patients makes it possible to eradicate the virus in general as well as in the very high risk population. As they establish the first contact with patients, family medicine physicians are the health care workers who are the key links in the chain of detecting the patients, primarily due to the fact that almost 80% of the patients have no symptoms of the illness. 

Key words:
chronic hepatitis C; direct-acting antiviral drugs; family medicine physicians; hepatitis C virus; liver cirrhosis