Addiction to painkillers may induce hepatitis C in humans

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Higher intake of painkiller may lead to unleashing a wave of incident hepatitis C infections. The disease is caused owing to an epidemic caused due to painkiller addiction.

Over the past few years, this disease had been nearing a decline. However, quite suddenly, the disease started catching up rapidly amongst adolescents and adults across rural and white fraternities.

Deaths caused by Hepatitis C

Deaths were caused by opioids and heroin over the last decade, leading to epidemics breaking out. However, recently the issues of injecting drugs and crushed pain pills led to a contraction of the virus among hepatitis C patients. It is quite risky, leading to hepatitis C infection.

A plethora of scattered studies has been carried out across the nation, helping in detecting patterns. This became clear as the reports were released by the US Center that deals with disease control, detection and prevention.

Disease patterns

The disease patterns caused by painkillers have been visible mostly among young adults below 30 in Virginia, Tennessee, West Virginia and Kentucky. The number rose almost 364% during six years – 2006-2012. The virus circulated quite historically across suburbs and rural counties.

Hepatitis C is dangerous; it can easily be in human body for days together before liver gets damaged holistically, with only an option left to transplant it.

The disease is caused owing to transmission from surgeries, injections and transfusions. Painkiller pills can be crushed. When the same is heated with water, the product gets dissolvable, though lesser than heroin.

Injecting pills may cause Hepatitis C

Injecting pills with the aid of syringes is commonplace in rural counties or suburbs. Hepatitis C viruses may remain on syringes. Even on filters and cookers, the drug remains injected.

Thus, the rate of transmission is high, in these scenarios, leading to high incidences of Hepatitis C infection.