Is Stem Cell Therapy the Cure for Hepatitis?

[Prapti Chauhan]

Stem cell therapy facilitated by cord blood banking is opening new options for the treatment of Hepatitis, caused by a viral infection that leads to inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis can cause liver failure and liver cirrhosis, and a liver transplant is the only option to treat liver failure.

However, a liver transplant is not an easy option due to many reasons such as the unavailability of donors, risk of transplantation, long-term usage of immunosuppressants, and the inevitable financial burden. Cord blood banking and stem cell therapy is a new ray of hope for patients as well as hepatologists to treat liver failure without a transplant.

Newborn stem cell banking and subsequent usage can help reverse liver failure. There is also autoimmune hepatitis that is caused when the body starts making antibodies to attack the liver tissue. Long-term medications, toxins, drugs, genetic factors and alcohol can lead to autoimmune hepatitis. Umbilical cord preservation benefits families that have a history of autoimmune diseases. If this holds for your family as well, then it is better to preserve baby stem cells from the umbilical cord of your newborn at the best stem cell banks.

Stem cell preservation charges are nothing compared to the benefits your family can get if anyone needs a liver transplant.

Types of Hepatitis

There are five different kinds of viral hepatitis. The most common symptom of hepatitis is jaundice that turns the skin and eyes yellow. The other symptoms are nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, stomach pain, dark-colored urine, and joint pain. Sometimes there can be absolutely no symptom.

Hepatitis A, B, and C are most common and caused by HAV, HBV, and HCV virus, respectively. The virus spread through contaminated food, feces, and bodily fluids. Hepatitis could also spread through sexual contact. Hepatitis D and E are less common. Hepatitis can be prevented through vaccination.

How Stem Cells Can Help to Reverse the Effects of Hepatitis?

Long-term hepatitis virus infection can cause permanent liver damage and cirrhosis. HBV is the most common virus to cause liver failure. Stem cells, due to their regenerative nature, are great options for the treatment of end-stage liver diseases caused due to HBV.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have proved to be safe and effective for the treatment of liver failure. Stem cells are capable of producing a large number of liver-like cells. MSCs taken from the umbilical cord are more effective compared to the stem cells taken from the bone marrow due to their abundance, multi-lineage differential potential, low immunogenicity, and self-renewal capability. Umbilical cord blood preservation benefits patients suffering from HBV-induced liver failure.

Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is a common complication associated with HCV virus or hepatitis C. Umbilical cord blood transplants for hepatitis C induced SAA has shown remarkable results. It not only improves the anemia but also reduces the viral load of HCV.

Conclusion

Hepatitis kills millions of people across the world every year. Even though there is vaccination, yet a large population gets affected. Liver failure caused by Hepatitis requires a liver transplant which is not always feasible. Stem cell transplants can be a huge boon for patients. Preservation of umbilical cord blood offers a chance for regenerative therapy.

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