How does Hep C affect someone with diabetes?

[Girl_In_Egypt]

My father in law was just diagnosed with Hep C. He already has insulin dependent diabetes. We have not gotten a biopsy yet so we do not know how far progressed the virus is. We also live in Egypt where I have seen that Hep C is more prevalent. I'm just looking for information on how Hep C progresses in someone that already has diabetes. And anything else we can do for him. Thank you in advance.

[alybec]

Yellow fever vaccine is not indicated in Egypt

Type 2 diabetes (which is mostly treated by tablets rather than insulin) is more common in patients with hepatitis C because the virus impairs the body response  to insulin. About 30% of hepatitis C patients have diabetes specially those who are obese or more than 40 years old. Antiviral treatment is becoming more effective specially with the discovery of the new antivirus that is now added to interferon and repaverin. If the patient's diabetes was due to hepatitis C it well most probably greatly improve after treatment of hep C. In addition good control of diabetes might improve response to antiviral therapy (still to be tested in research).

The problem of hep c treatment is the high probability of development of side effects, however, it greatly improves the prognosis of the individual.

[Idyllic]

Greetings I agree with much that has been said and just wanted to add that if you have not done so already you  might want to consider getting vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B. Ask the testing facility (or whomever) about Twinrix. The Hep A vaccine is good for 20 - 25 years and if you get the HBV vaccine you will need a booster shot in a few months.

You should also get typhoid (good for 3 years) and yellow fever vaccine which is good for 10 years.

(Sorry - this is an American site)
http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hav/havfaq.htm

[willbb]

HCV is  documented to  possibly be causel of many problems extra hepatic(outside the liver) and diabetes is one. The connection is still a grey area,however
It is a fact that many more HCV patients do have type 2 diabetes in relation to the general public

.http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets_pdf/Extrahepatic.pdf

Best...
Will

[pooh55811]

This article may be of interest to you:

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets_pdf/Fibrosis.pdf

And this one also:

http://www.laboratoriosilesia.com/upfiles/sibi/GA0207272.pdf

[pooh55811]

You should get tested.

Hepatitis C, as you mentioned , is very prevalent in Egypt. The main Hepatitis C Genotype in Egypt is Genotype 4. The reason that Egypt has such a high percentage of people with Hep C is due to a vaccination campaign several years ago in which unsterilized equipment was used in the vaccination process. In addition, Hep C can be spread by medical and dental procedures if the equipment is not properly sterilized between patients. Tattoos are a another means of transmission. Razors, diabetic testing equipment, nail clippers, should not be shared as they may have blood on them and may be a means of transmission.

Because of the high prevalence of Hep C in Egypt, you and your family should be tested. You may very well have been exposed to the virus at some point in your life (most likely through medical or dental procedures using unsterilized equipment).

Here are a few links that may contain information in which you may be interested:

http://www2.hawaii.edu/~dewolfe/

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6129a2.htm

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hcsp/articles/Egypt_06.html

Tomorrow I may add something about your other questions (concerning diabetes).

[Cheesegrater]

Hep C is known to be a factor in the development of diabetes.

[ActingBrandNew]

This link may or may not be helpful all the same it was interesting.

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/29/5/1140.full

You should get tested if you were doing things to put yourself at risk.

Transmission / Exposure

How is Hepatitis C spread?

Hepatitis C is usually spread when blood from a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. Today, most people become infected with the Hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. Before 1992, when widespread screening of the blood supply began in the United States, Hepatitis C was also commonly spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants.

People can become infected with the Hepatitis C virus during such activities as

    Sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs
    Needlestick injuries in health care settings
    Being born to a mother who has Hepatitis C


Less commonly, a person can also get Hepatitis C virus infection through

    Sharing personal care items that may have come in contact with another person’s blood, such as razors or toothbrushes
    Having sexual contact with a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus

http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/c/cfaq.htm

[Girl_In_Egypt]

And I also wanted to ask if we,(the whole family), should get tested. Like I said we are living in Egypt and I see it is much more prevalent here.