The ABCs of Hepatitis
Hepatitis is an inflammation or disease of the liver. There are many causes of hepatitis ranging from genetic causes, to drugs and toxins, to infections. Some forms of hepatitis will cure themselves without permanent injury, but most forms of hepatitis have at least the potential to be seriously disabling or life-threatening.
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HEPATITIS A
What is it?
Hepatitis A is a virus that causes an acute illness; it does not lead to chronic disease. It is found in the stool of people during the early stages of infection.
What is the average incubation period?
30 days
How is it contracted?
Food or water contaminated with human waste may be responsible for transmitting hepatitis A from person to person.
What are the symptoms?
There may be no symptoms, or the infected person may have fatigue, fever, dark urine, or jaundice.
How is it treated?
Hepatitis A cause an acute illness that is rarely fatal in health persons, but can be deadly, especially to infants, the elderly, and persons with other liver diseases. There is a vaccine for hepatitis A.
How prevalent is hepatitis A?
There are 125,000-250,000 total infections each year in the US, resulting in 100 deaths per year.
Who is at risk?
Travelers to developing countries. Those who have unprotected sex with infected/multiple. Daycare workers exposed to soiled diapers. Persons living in epidemic areas.
How can it be prevented?
Vaccination. Always wash hands after using the toilet. Clean surfaces such as changing tables that may be contaminated with feces. |
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HEPATITIS B
What is it?
Hepatitis B is inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus. Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus can cause liver cell damage leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
What is the average incubation period?
Eight to twelve weeks.
How is it contracted?
Hepatitis B is mainly transmitted through sexual contact and contaminated needles, and from an infected mother to her newborn.
What are the symptoms?
There may be no symptoms. Persons with acute infection may have mild, flu-like symptoms, light stools, dark urine, fatigue, fever, or jaundice. Most persons with chronic hepatitis B infection have no symptoms until they develop cirrhosis or liver cancer. The most common symptom of chronic hepatitis B infection is fatigue.
How is it treated?
Prevention is the best treatment. There is a vaccine for hepatitis B. Hepatitis B vaccine is safe and highly effective. There are three approved treatments for hepatitis B. Interferon is administered as injections while lamivudine and adefovir are administered orally.
How prevalent is hepatitis b?
Approximately 70,000 people per year in the US develop acute hepatitis B infection; and roughly 1-1.25 million Americans are chronically infected.
Who is at risk?
Those who have unprotected sex with infected/multiple partners. Healthcare workers who come in contact with blood and blood products. Infants born to infected mothers. IV drug users.
How can it be prevented?
Vaccination. Safe sex. Protective gloves when exposed to blood. Clean up spilled blood with bleach. Do not share razors or toothbrushes. Screening of pregnant women in the US has nearly eliminated newborn infection because at-risk infants receive immunoglobulin and vaccination shortly after birth and are protected. Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all newborns, children and adolescents; and adults who are at risk of hepatitis B infection. |
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HEPATITIS C
What is it?
Hepatitis C is a virus that rarely causes acute illness, but becomes a chronic disease in most infected people. It can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
What is the average incubation period?
The time from contact with the virus until illness develops is seven to nine weeks.
How is it contracted?
Hepatitis C is transmitted through contact with infected blood, contaminated needles, or other sharp instruments, and from infected mother to newborn. It is not easily spread through sex. In about 10% of cases, the route of infection is not known.
What are the symptoms?
Most people with hepatitis C do not feel ill or become sick until 20 years after contracting the virus. There may be no symptoms, or the infected person may have fatigue mild, flu-like symptoms, light stools, dark urine, fever, or jaundice.
How is it treated?
There is currently no vaccine to prevent for hepatitis C. Pegylated interferon with ribavirin is effective in about 50% of those treated.
How prevalent is hepatitis C?
2-4% of the arabic populations.
20% of the egggptions are infected.
Who is at risk?
Those who have received blood transfusions before 1992. Healthcare workers who come in contact with blood and blood products. Infants born to infected mothers. Those who have snorted or injected drugs. Sexual transmission is infrequent.
How can it be prevented?
Don't use drugs. Safe sex. Protective gloves when exposed to blood. Clean up spilled blood with bleach. Do not share razors or toothbrushes. |
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