just wondering

Ok technically speaking-Is HCV considered a disease of the blood or a disease of the liver???The disease itself lives in the blood but attacks the liver,??

[willbb]

The way I understand it  is the virus itself attacks the liver cells  and uses those cells as a host. That in itself is not what does the damage. Your own immune system recognizes an invader and in turn attacks those cells causing inflammation  .. With this ongoing over many years..hence liver scarring.

Not sure if thats what you were asking or not.

WILL

[SusieS2010]

Hepatitis C is considered a systemic virus. It attacks the liver and it can also have a negative effect on other organs such as the kidney.

[James10500]

http://www.hepctrust.org.uk/Resources/HepC/Migrated%20Resources/Documents/SimonTaylor-RobinsonPresentation.pdf

[eureka254]

"Hepatitis" literally translated is *liver inflammation.*  Though it's blood-borne, it's not a disease of the blood, but a disease of the digestive system, hence hcv-ers are recommended to see Gastroenterologists or Hepatologist instead of Hemotologists.  Because a disease is carried in blood does not make it a "blood" disease (as example, HIV exists in blood but is an immune disease).  "Blood" diseases are usually those that impact blood directly (i.e. damage, like sickle cell disease) or bone marrow (i.e. leukemia).  Hope that clarifies things.

[IAmTheWalrus]

HCV lives and reproduces itself in the liver by invading liver cells, I believe.

[R Glass]

This is a good question. In my quest for Life Insurance, it asked if I had Liver Disease in the last 5 Years. I thought I found a loophole because I always thought HCV was a Blood Disease and the Scare Tissue was caused from fighting it. The CDC calls it a Liver Disease, blowing my theory out of the water. I am still not sure if it is technically a Blood   Disease but since the CDC says Liver I would have to say yes. My next Loophole is to wait 2 more years, and then I can say no.

[eureka254]

A couple of links to the help distinguish "blood diseases" (hemotology) from "liver diseases" (hepatology).:

http://www.peoples-health.com/liver_diseases.htm
http://www.peoples-health.com/blood-diseases.htm

However, the further one progresses in either category the more blurring and cross-over.  Sort of interesting to note for example, that hcv can cause blood conditions like prophyria or thrombocytopenia, and blood diseases like sepsis and sickle cell can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.  

But absolutely: hcv is a disease of the liver. ~eureka