The ABCs of Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a serious virus that is passed from person to person. It infects the liver and can cause permanent damage to that organ. There are three specific types of hepatitis and they are known as hepatitis A, B and C.
The symptoms of all three are similar and can vary in degree of severity and duration. Symptoms include poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, pain in the stomach, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, light colored feces, dark yellow urine, and dry itchy skin.
Hepatitis A is passed from person to person through contact with human feces. It is also possible to contact the virus by casual human contact through the hands or by consuming contaminated food or drink. It is often present in wastewater and can contaminate public beaches during periods after a storm where there is excess runoff. Hepatitis A is not as commonly seen in the United States as it used to be before the spread of public water and sewage systems. In rural areas or in undeveloped countries where water can be easily contaminated it is still a health problem. Today Hepatitis A is usually related to poor hygiene relating to lack of hand washing. Food Handlers are of particular concern since they can pass the virus on to so many people and the virus’ symptoms can be so mild that the infected person does not even know they have the contagious virus. Hepatitis A can also be passed during sexual intercourse so it is often classified as a sexually transmitted disease. Hepatitis A can be prevented by practicing better hand washing habits and avoiding contact with contaminated water.
Hepatitis B is passed through contact with human body fluids. It is considered a STD because it is most commonly transmitted between sexual partners through contact with blood. It can also be transmitted through other contact with contaminated human blood as with tattoo needles, illegal drug needles, and blood transfusions. It is also possible for a mother to pass Hepatitis to her infant during delivery where blood is present.
Hepatitis C is similar to Hepatitis B in that it is passed through the exchange of body fluids. It is a more sever form of the virus in that it often becomes a chronic disease and can develop into more life threatening diseases like cirrhosis of the liver, or liver cancer.
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Hepatitis Treatments
Hepatitis is a virus that causes the liver to become inflamed. There are five known types of hepatitis: A, B, C, D and E, however, only types A, B and C are common in the United States. The treatment a patient receives for hepatitis depends on the type of hepatitis being treated. Each type of hepatitis has a different treatment protocol. Each has its own hepatitis symptoms.
Hepatitis A is spread by person to person contact in restaurants or other settings. This is the type of hepatitis we usually read about in the newspaper. Although it can make adults quite ill, there is no treatment required because hepatitis A usually clears up on its own after several weeks, leaving the patient with lifetime immunity. Hepatitis B, the most serious form of the disease, is transmitted by infected blood or body fluids. This type can be spread by sexual activity or contaminated needles. If the patient’s system cannot clear the virus in its acute stage, it becomes chronic.
There is no treatment for acute hepatitis B. Two different approved treatments exist for chronic Hepatitis B, interferon and lamivudine. The most successful treatment is 4-6 months of interferon, which has a 35% success rate…
Hepatitis C is the most serious form Hepatitis, is also spread by needles, sexual contact and from mothers to unborn children. It can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. Interferon, alone and in combination with ribavirin, is used to treat Hepatitis C. Less than 40% of patients respond to treatment that may be given a second time. Because of its chronic nature, there are also many unproven, alternative treatments for Hepatitis C, the most common of which is the herb milk thistle.
Hepatitis D is usually a co-infection with Hepatitis B and is treated with interferon.
Hepatitis E is usually limited to travelers to developing countries. There is no known treatment. Vaccinations exist for Hepatitis A and B. The Hepatitis B vaccine also makes the patient immune to Hepatitis E. In all cases, the success rate with various treatments is relatively low, usually less than 40%. Regardless of type, the best protection against all forms of Hepatitis is cleanliness and the avoidance of risky behaviors where body fluids are exchange.
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Hepatitis: Types and Symptoms
The purpose of this article is to increase knowledge and awareness of the various Hepatitis infections and each of the viral hepatitis symptoms. It is important to first note that Hepatitis is the infection and inflammation of the liver. The liver is an important organ, as it digests food, stores energy and removes poisons from the blood stream. The primary focus of this article will be on the symptoms of Hepatitis A, B, C, and D.. Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis A virus.
Symptoms of this disease are as follows::
- jaundice
- loss of appetite
- fatigue
- pain in the abdominal area
- nausea
- diarrhea
- fever
The above symptoms are the basic symptoms of Hepatitis in general with differentiating symptoms that show as a sign of the type of infection that has occurred. Hepatitis B is a serious disease caused by the Hepatitis B virus and can cause lifelong damage such as Cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, failure, and even result in death. Symtoms of this disease are the basic symptoms of Hepatitis, however joint pain and vomiting should also be added for symptoms of Hepatitis B.
Hepatitis C is caused by the Hepatitis C virus and is found in the blood of those infected with the disease. The basic symptoms also apply to this disease. The symptom that differentiates is dark urine is found in those infected with the Hepatitic C virus.
Hepatitis D is caused by the Hepatitis D virus and is known as a defective virus that needs the hepatitis B virus in order to exist. This virus is also found in the bloodstream of those infected. Symptoms of this disease are the basic Hepatitis symptoms with joint paint and dark colored urine added to the list of symptoms
Hepatitis is serious and can cause serious repercussions for your health and life expectancy. Take preventive methods such as vaccinations, sanitation, and carefulness. Additional information can be found by researching the Center for Disease control, National Institute for Health, Medline and other reputable organizations. If you believe you suffer from one of the above infections, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
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Causes of Hepatitis
Hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver, has many well documented causes. Risk factors include excessive alcohol consumption (alcoholic hepatitis), intravenous drug use (hepatitis B, C or G), feces-contaminated food or water (hepatitis A) and blood transfusions prior to the early 1990s (hepatitis A through G). Hepatitis symptoms can vary
Mothers can pass hepatitis B on to their children. Autoimmune hepatitis, most prevalent in women, is common to individuals with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, AIDS and inflammatory bowel disease.
Alcoholic hepatitis affects up to 35% of heavy drinkers. Damage caused by alcoholic hepatitis is reversible, but is likely to result in cirrhosis of the liver and ultimately liver failure in people who continue to drink. For these people, hepatitis may ultimately prove to be fatal. Obesity has been strongly linked to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, also known as NASH. NASH resembles alcoholic hepatitis except that it appears in the liver of light- or non-drinkers. NASH is thought to affect up to 5% of the population. NASH is usually identified by the existence of fat in the liver.
Hepatitis D is a rarity in that it is only found in individuals who already have Hepatitis B. This particular hepatitis is relatively uncommon on the United States. Hepatitis can develop if a person contracts any of a number of diseases that cause liver inflammation. These diseases include, but are certainly not limited to, measles and mononucleosis, metabolic ailments like Wilson’s Disease and haemochromatosis, hemophilia and leukemia. Numerous drugs have been shown to cause an onset of hepatitis. These include halothane (an anesthetic), Methyldopa (blood pressure medication), statins (cholesterol lowering drugs like Lipitor and Zocor), oral contraceptives and even high doses acetaminophen.
Some herbal supplements, including kava-kava, have been linked to hepatitis. Antiretrovirals (AIDS medications) like Zidovudine can also be a risk factor for hepatitis. As you can see, the causes of hepatitis are numerous and varied. There are few other diseases with as many disparate causes. There are also few other diseases that are sometimes treatable and sometimes not. All forms of hepatitis directly affect the liver to varying degrees. Currently 6 forms of hepatitis are known today…A, B, C, D, E and G. Each is distinct, even though many involve the same risk factors, and each except for type A can result in chronic symptoms which may ultimately lead to liver failure and death.
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Types of Hepatitis
There are five types of the Hepatitis virus.
The first is called Hepatitis A. It is caused by consuming food and/or drinking water infected with a virus called HAV. It can also be caused by fluid exchange during sexual acts, not limited to anything from oral sex to anal sex.
The second is called Hepatitis B. It is caused by the virus HBV. It is a sexually transmitted disease, and can be transmitted very easily. It can be spread through vaginal fluid or excretion, semen, or blood. Intravenous drug users or needle sharing individuals can also easily spread the virus.
The third type is Hepatitis C, and it is caused by a virus called HCV. Like Hepatitis B, it is spread by contact with blood, semen, or vaginal fluid.
Another type is called Hepatitis D. It is caused by a virus called HDV. Hepatitis D is a secondary infection. By that, it means that you can only become infected by Hepatitis D, if you are already infected with hepatitis B. It is spread by contact with the HDV virus. This contact is made by blood, semen, or vaginal fluids also.
The fifth, and most rare, is called Hepatitis E. It is a very rare occurrence in the United States. It is caused by the virus called HEV, and you can contract the disease by consuming food or water infected with HEV, and sometimes by oral to anal sex. All of the forms of Hepatitis are dangerous to one’s health.
Each of the infections damages the liver, which results in swelling. Hepatitis A infections do cause liver problems, however, almost all of it’s sufferers will recover completely. Unlike A, Hepatitis B is considered to be a chronic, life-long disease as many carriers are unable to get rid of the infection. Hepatitis C is often a lifelong illness too. It’s damage to the liver is more significant than the others, and will sometimes result in Cirrhosis or liver cancer and ultimately death. Because Hepatitis D is a secondary infection to the B infection, it carries the same risk. Usually, a life-long infection sentence. Hepatitis E does cause swelling of the liver, but typically won’t cause long term damage.
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