Blog and Insights

What is HIV?

HIV stands for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The word “immunodeficiency” means that this virus progressively weakens and destroys the immune system.  The immune system allows the body to fight against infections. Because the immune system gets weaker and weaker, a person infected with HIV eventually cannot fight against infections such as tuberculosis and is more likely to get cancer: this is the stage of the...

What is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is due to an infection caused by a virus, mostly found in the liver: the hepatitis C virus (HCV). 

The acute Hepatitis C virus infection is a short-term illness that occurs around 6 months after a person has been first exposed to the HCV. Acute infections usually, but not always, become chronic.

The chronic HCV infection is a long-term illness that occurs when the virus remains in a person’s...

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is an infection by a virus, mostly found in the liver: the hepatitis B virus (HBV). This virus can be easily transmitted to others. Hepatitis B infection can become a chronic infection.

Worldwide, 240 million are chronically infected with HBV, most of them in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Chronic infection means that the virus continues to replicate in the liver for more than 6 months, causing...