Intranasal Drug Use
Ground zero for the hepatitis C virus is the liver. The liver is a filter and cleans out impurities from the blood supply coming from the digestive tract. When somebody has intranasal drug use, this allows blood-borne viruses to bypass the digestive system and enter directly into the bloodstream through the mucous membranes. From there, it’s a quick jaunt to the liver where all hell can break loose.
Mucous membranes are a thin layer of moist tissue that line many cavities in the body, including the nose, mouth, throat, genitals, and rectum. They act as a barrier to infection by producing mucus that traps bacteria and other microorganisms. However, they are also semi-permeable, meaning that they can be penetrated by certain viruses and other pathogens. This is how intranasal drug use can cause hepatitis C by allowing blood-borne viruses to bypass the digestive system and enter directly into the bloodstream through the mucous membranes.
Once the hepatitis C virus enters the bloodstream, it makes its way to the liver where it begins replicating. The virus replicates in hepatocytes causing them to become inflamed. This inflammation can lead to scarring of the liver and eventual liver failure.
