Hepatitis - C
Hepatitis C is a viral infection of the liver that has received much recent publicity. This is mostly because otherwise healthy baby-boomers who have lead prosperous and clean lifestyles face a threat to their health and perhaps their lives. This could be due to transient drug use in their youth or even a blood transfusion received before 1992.
The liver is perhaps the most important internal organ. It is responsible for detoxifying and manufacturing many substances vital for life. The liver plays a vital role in converting food in the vital chemicals necessary for life. The virus causes a chronic infection which is not serious for some but for others, accounts for the number one reason for liver transplants in the United States. Most who have hepatitis C never know they are infected. Some have no long term effects; some suffer from weakness, lethargy and may develop cirrhosis or scarring of the liver.
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