It is hoped they will help medical workers combat the disease
The first national guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of the hepatitis C virus have been published as part of efforts to halt the spread of the disease.
The Chinese Medical Association and the Liver Disease Society jointly published the guidelines in order to help medical workers detect, diagnose, prevent and treat hepatitis C.
According to the latest national survey, the mainland has approximately 40 million hepatitis C carriers. Last year the number of reported cases of hepatitis C increased by 31 per cent from the previous year.
'Many HCV [hepatitis C virus] patients don't even go to the hospital, because its symptoms are subtle and often hidden - so much so that sometimes there are no symptoms at all,' said Professor Wei Lai, the deputy of the People's Hospital's Liver Disease Research Centre in Beijing and one of the guideline's authors.
Professor Wei added that people infected with hepatitis C mainly suffered from tiredness and stomach aches. 'Due to the slight symptoms, non-specialists may not be fully informed on the relevant diagnostics and treatment.'
The guidelines aimed to standardise the treatment offered by specialist doctors by incorporating internationally recognised methods, the professor said.
