Viral Hepatitis (others)

Hepatitis is a serious disease that affects the liver and can cause long-term damage. It is causes by  infection by a virus.  Hepatitis B is the most common but there are several other types and associated virus.

Types of Hepatitis

Hepatitis A - Caused by the hepatitis A virus, Hepatius A is often spreads because of poor personal hygiene habits, such as not washing hands after a bowel movement. You can also get hepatitis A by eating foods or drinking beverages contaminated with the virus. Hepatitis A is a common form of viral hepatitis in the United States This disease is responsible for serious health problems .

Hepatitis B - The Hepatitis B virus may be found in blood and can be spread through contact with infected blood or blood products. You can get hepatitis B by injecting drugs with a dirty needle used by someone who is infected with hepatitis B virus. You can get hepatitis B by sharing razors or toothbrushes with an infected person. Hepatitis B is also spread through blood-bearing body fluids of an infected person, such as semen and vaginal secretions.  It can be spread by having sex with someone who has the disease.

The virus is quite robust and can survive in dried blood for up to a week, so blood and blood-contaminated surfaces must disinfected.  Hepatitis B affects more than a million people in the United States! It can be serious and may be fatal, causing such illnesses as liver cancer.

Hepatitis C - The Hepatitis C virus is spread through contact with contaminated blood or by having sex with an infected person. Less commonly, hepatitis C is passed on through household contact. People who receive blood transfusions or dialysis treatments or who inject illegal drugs are most likely to get this disease. Hepatitis C is dangerous because it is often slow-spreading and silent, and lasts a long time. It is one of the major causes of cirrhosis of the liver in the United States, and it is probably also a major cause of liver cancer worldwide Approximately 8,000-12,000 people die from hepatitis C-related liver disease every year.

Hepatitis D - The Hepatitis D virus needs the Hepatitis B virus to infect the liver. People who are immune to hepatitis B virus are safe from hepatitis D. When hepatitis D becomes active, it can be extremely dangerous. This form of hepatitis exists worldwide, but is spread in different ways in different geographical areas.

In regions where the disease is less common, such as the United States and northern Europe, hepatitis D is spread by contact with infected blood and blood products. In the US the two groups with the highest risk are people with hemophilia (those who bleed a lot because their blood does not properly clot) and drug addicts. In northern Africa, southern Europe, and the Middle East, hepatitis D is transmitted mostly by means other than by infected blood. In these Mediterranean countries, it is often spread by close personal contact with people who have hepatitis D.

Hepatitis E - Hepatitis E is usually spread through impure drinking water. Outbreaks of hepatitis E have caused high death rates in pregnant women. People who have traveled to Asia, Africa, and Central and South America may be at greater risk of contracting hepatitis E.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world because

• 1) it spreads easily
• 2) it has many ways to move from person to person
• 3) it is hard to tell who has the disease

How would I feel?

Many people infected with hepatitis B virus do not know it. Some people do not show any symptoms. Others who have recently been infected with the hepatitis B virus may think that they have the flu because early symptoms are flu like. Hepatitis B may cause fever, muscle and joint pain, stomach pain, or a combination of these symptoms. Infected people may also throw up, feel very tired, and not want to eat. Some with hepatitis B experience a yellowing of their skin and the white parts of their eyes. Other signs of hepatitis B are dark urine, light-colored stools, and skin rashes. Anyone that think they have or have been exposed to hepatitis B, should see a doctor for testing and the Hepatitis B vaccine.

Who is at increased risk?

• Medical and dental workers, blood researchers, and those that must clean up blood and blood contaminated surfaces. 
• People who need frequent and/or large blood transfusions or blood products (e.g. hemophilias)
• Infants born to mothers who are infected, or who carry hepatitis B virus
• People who have close contact with an infected person
• People with many sex partners, homosexually active males, prostitutes, and those with repeatedly sexually transmitted diseases
• People who inject illegal drugs
• Immigrants and refugees from areas where hepatitis B virus infection is common
• Pacific Islanders and Alaskan Natives
• Prison Inmates

How sick can I get?

Although hepatitis B infection can disable a person for weeks or months and can lead to serious illness, most patients do recover. However, some adults who become infected never know that they are sick because they have no symptoms. These people are dangerous to themselves and others. They are a risk to themselves because they have at higher risk of developing a serious illness, such as liver cancer They are a risk to others because they can spread the disease for their entire lifetime. Approximately 4,000-5,000 persons in the United States die every year from liver disease related to hepatitis B.

How can I protect myself?

There are ways to help protect yourself against hepatitis B. An important way is to minimize known risks by making changes in your behavior and lifestyle. There are also vaccines that can help protect you against hepatitis B. However, these vaccines may not protect everyone who receives them.  If you are in a high risk groups, see your healthcare provider to find out if vaccination is right for you.   If you work in one of the high risk groups your employer is obligated to provide training and may be obligated to provide the vaccine at no cost to you. Anyone that think they have been exposed to or have hepatitis B, should see a doctor for testing and,  if the tests are positive, the Hepatitis B vaccine.