Nobel Prize in Medicine 2020: Find out why the hepatitis C virus was so important.

New delhi date. 07 October 2020, Wednesday

Thanks to the efforts of Harvey J Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M Rice, it has now become possible to accurately test and invent new drugs for the deadly hepatitis-C. For their contributions to hepatitis studies and research, two American and one British scientist have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine 2020. The Nobel Assembly has claimed in a statement that the disease is treatable and we can say that the hepatitis-C virus will one day be completely eradicated from the world.

The prize money is 10 million Swedish kronor (approximately Rs. 8,19,42,081). This amount will be given equally to all members. It was Harvey J. Alter who first clarified that the HCV or Hepatitis C virus causes chronic hepatitis. He was associated with the National Institutes of Health in the United States and has been studying the disease since the 1970s. Michael Houston was working for a drug company called Chiron, which succeeded in isolating the genome of a new virus called HCV. Researchers at the University of Washington have confirmed the fact that only HCV can cause hepatitis. The search lasted from 1986 to 2000. Numerous researchers, doctors and volunteer patients have worked hard to help understand this deadly disease.

The hepatitis C virus affects the patient's liver, causing swelling or damage to the limbs. The disease has five known hepatitis viruses, of which hepatitis is the main one. The virus is usually spread through contaminated food or water. This is the most common jaundice. Of the three hepatitis viruses, the most easily cured is the hepatitis virus. The second is hepatitis B. This causes liver disorders. In a large number of liver patients still A or B cannot be identified. Search on HCV has become important here. The discovery of HCV has given a new life to thousands of patients who were difficult to save. According to the WHO, both B and C are blood-borne viruses.

The infection can cause serious conditions as it develops. Infection can lead to serious conditions by developing cirrhosis and liver cancer. Because it is blood-borne, it usually transports through blood and other bodily fluids. The transition was seen in most patients in the early 70's and early 80's after blood transfusions. Nobel PR has confirmed that about 71 people worldwide have been affected by the disease. Even the treatment or diagnosis of this disease was not possible before the contribution of this year's winners.