Medical Emergencies · patient case question
All of the following are true of hepatitis C EXCEPT:
Patient case: Patient with a history of hepatitis C
Patient: 48-year-old man.
Chief complaint: Worn-down back teeth and jaw soreness in the mornings.
History: Hepatitis C diagnosed eight years ago, currently under hepatology follow-up. Reports morning jaw fatigue and has been told he grinds his teeth.
Findings: Generalized attrition with flattened cusps. Hypertrophy of the masticatory musculature bilaterally. No mucosal lesions.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. An effective vaccine is available
- A. Most acute infections are silent, which is why people can carry HCV for decades before it is detected. This is a true statement, not the exception.
- B. Chronic infection leads to cirrhosis in a substantial proportion of patients, and cirrhosis carries a real annual risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.
- C. CORRECT — this is the exception. There is NO vaccine for hepatitis C. The virus mutates rapidly and exists as multiple genotypes and quasispecies, which has defeated vaccine development. Hepatitis A and B are vaccine-preventable; C is not. It is, however, curable with direct-acting antivirals.
- D. HCV is transmitted through blood — shared needles, transfusion before screening, and needlestick injury. This is why standard precautions apply to every patient.
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