Nobel Prize 2020 in Medicine for the Virus of Hepatitis C discovered.
The winners are British scientist Michael Houghton and US researchers Harvey Alter and Charles Rice. The virus is a major cause of liver cancer so many patients have to undergo liver treatment. The discovery will save millions of lives said the Nobel prize committee.
Oct 6, 2020, 23:02 IST
Hepatitis, liver inflammation is considered as a major threat to human health and diseases. As per the recent WHO reports more than 70 Million cases have registered of Hepatitis worldwide and 400,000 deaths have been found every year. It is a liver disease the virus affected can result in acute and chronic hepatitis, ranging from severity from a mild illness lasting for a few weeks to a serious condition resulting in lifelong illness.
BLOOD-BORNE-VIRUS:
The most common medium of virus exposure is through small quantities of blood. This may happen by sharing needles with the affected, Injected drug use, unsafe injection practices, Sexual intercourse leads to exposure of blood.
Globally according to WHO reports more than 71 Miliion people suffer from the chronic Hepatis C virus infection.
The winners are British scientist Michael Houghton and US researchers Harvey Alter and Charles Rice.
Prof Houghton isolated the genetic sequence in a pharmaceutical firm and showed it was a flavivirus and named as Hepatitis C. It was genetically engineered and tested on chimpanzees.The amount of the virus present in the liver is in trace amounts and and not high enough to be detected earlierthrough probes.
