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Jonathan Torres
Professor: Daniel Rackliffe
Biology 1610
29 March 2016
Hepatitis C
According to dictionary.com the word hepatitis means the inflammation of the liver, it
may get damaged by several different means, Toxins, certain drugs, some diseases, heavy
alcohol use, and bacterial and viral infections can all cause hepatitis (Center for Disease Control
and Prevention). Currently there is no vaccination to assist in the prevention of Hepatitis C, but if
contracted it can be treated with the development of new FDA drugs.
Now that we are aware of what Hepatitis C does at on a larger scale lets take a look at it
on a microscopic cellular level. According to Dartmouth Colleges C. Everett Koop Medical
Institute Hepatitis C is quite a complex and ravage virus. The Genetic material of the virus is
stored in RNA not DNA like other viruses. The virus is then surrounded by two layers of
protection the first layer consists of protein and the second layer by a lipid layer. RNA can be an
unstable molecule when it is used incorrectly; the reason why this disease is so dangerous is its
ability to mutate nucleotides. Nucleotides are essentially the building blocks of DNA or RNA,
when there is an error in the genetic code sequence it can be corrected through the means of
DNA mismatch repair, a process in which DNA polymerase ensures accuracy when nucleotides
are matched. The average number of mistakes found in RNA vs that of DNA are one mistake
per 10,000 nucleotides, and one in 1 million and 1 in 1 billion (Hepatitis C An Epidemic for

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Anyone the C. Everett Koop Institute Dartmouth Medical School). When talking about DNA.
The rate at which RNA makes mistakes is on average is anywhere from 100 fold to 100 million
fold that of DNA, the rate is much higher which is why the Hepatitis C is such a hostile virus.
When these mutations occur, an infected individuals immune system sends antibodies to aid in
the eradication of the virus which has taken over the cell host. The issue is that since Hepatitis C
is constantly mutating at a rate that the immune system cannot recognize and send antibodies to
help with the containment it becomes a losing battle for the body also known as antigenic drift.
Hepatitis C has a life cycle of 8 steps. Hepatitis C is associated with liver disease because
it attacks liver cells. The first step of Hepatitis C is to locate liver cells, it then uses its lipid outer
layer to fuse together its membrane and that of the liver cells, it in a sense disguises itself. Once
attached the virus will be present and taken by the once good, now compromised liver cell. The
third step consists of enzymes that will break down the membrane. The fourth step will involve
the RNA that has the virus taking over the ribosomes and using them to make more viral RNA.
The fifth step will consist of the viral DNA making hundreds of copies with a lot of them
becoming different though mutations in the code. The sixth step in the life cycle of Hepatitis C is
to create a capsomere (the building blocks for the viruss protective protein coat) (Hepatitis C
An Epidemic for Anyone The Life Cycle of Hepatitis C. the C. Everett Koop Institute
Dartmouth Medical School). A capsomere is the plural definition of a capsid a combination of. A
capsid is a, protein sheath (Raven, Peter, George Johnson, Kenneth Mason, Jonathan Losos,
and Susan Singer. Biology. 9th ed. Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print. Chapter 27
"Viruses" page 529). that encases the nucleic acid core. The seventh step of this ruthless virus is
a full encasement of the nucleic acid. The eighth step is when the new virus is released with its
new protective layer ready to compromise another liver cell, those cells that do survive the war

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against the antibodies will continue to produce more and more viral offspring until there is severe
liver damage.
My take on all of this is that this is quite a scary virus, anyone can get it if they are not
careful. As for myself I am exposed to the blood of the different patients we treat every day in
the clinic I work at. It has unquestionably made me more conscious and aware of the severity the
damage that this ravage devastating virus can cause. I can say I am grateful for the new found
knowledge I have found while investigating this tiny complicated virus.

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Work Cited
"Anatomy of the Hepatitis C Virus." Hepatitis C. The C. Everett Koop Institute Dartmouth
Medical School Dartmouth College. Web. 26 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.epidemic.org/theFacts/hepatitisC/anatomy/>. The understanding of the anatomy of
Hepatitis C virus
Dennis, Liu, Ph.D. Director, Bert Vogelstein, M.D. Scientific Director, Satoshi Amagi, Ph.D.
Scientific Content, and Chris Vargas Animator. "Mismatch Repair | HHMI's Bio Interactive."
Mismatch Repair. hhmi Bio Interactive. Web. 25 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/mismatch-repair>. General understanding of mismatch
repair
"Department of Health." Hepatitis C. New York State Department of Health, Oct. 2008. Web. 24
Mar. 2016.
<https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/hepatitis/hepatitis_c/fact_sheet.htm>.
General knowledge of the virus gathered
Garcia-Diaz, Miguel, and Katarzyna Bebenek. "Multiple Functions of DNA
Polymerases." Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences. U.S. National Library of Medicine,
2005. Web. 25 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2391090/>. General understanding
of Mismatch Repair Section VIII "Mismatch Repair"

"The Definition of Hepatitis." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.

<http://www.dictionary.com/browse/hepatitis?s=t>. Definition of Hepatitis gathered
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. "Antibody." Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 25 Mar. 2016. <http://www.britannica.com/science/antibody>.
Definition of description of "Antibody"
"The Hepatitis C Virus." Hepatitis C. the C. Everett Koop Institute Dartmouth Medical School
Dartmouth Colle. Web. 26 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.epidemic.org/theFacts/hepatitisC/hepatitisC/>. An overall understanding of the
Hepatitis C. virus.
"The Life Cycle of Hepatitis C." Hepatitis C. The C. Everett Koop Institute Dartmouth Medical
School Dartmouth College. Web. 26 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.epidemic.org/theFacts/hepatitisC/lifeCycle/>. The understanding of the life cycle of
the Hepatitis C virus

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Raven, Peter, George Johnson, Kenneth Mason, Jonathan Losos, and Susan Singer. Biology. 9th
ed. Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print. Chapter 27 "Viruses" page 529 Description and
Definition of "Capsid and or Capsomere(s)"
Raven, Peter, George Johnson, Kenneth Mason, Jonathan Losos, and Susan Singer. Biology. 9th
ed. Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print. Chapter 52 "The Immune System" page 1079
Description and Definition of "Antigenic Drift"
"What I Need to Know about Hepatitis C." What I Need to Know about Hepatitis C. National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, Dec. 2012. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/liver-disease/hepatitisc/Pages/ez.aspx>. General knowledge of the virus gathered