Hepatitis
Hepatitis means ‘liver inflammation’. It is caused by
a virus. Several types of hepatitis virus can infect the
liver, but the most common are the hepatitis A, B and
C viruses.
Types of Hepatitis
Hepatitis can be categorized as either acute or chronic.
Acute Hepatitis
Acute Hepatitis occurs suddenly or gradually, but in
either case, it is short-lived, usually lasting less than two
months. For someone with acute Hepatitis, liver damage is
usually mild.
On rare occasions, acute Hepatitis can be fatal. In some circumstances, acute Hepatitis can progress to chronic Hepatitis.
Chronic Hepatitis
Chronic Hepatitis persists for long periods of time and is
classified as either chronic persistent or chronic acute.
Chronic persistent Hepatitis is usually mild and progresses
slowly. However, it can become more severe, progressing
to chronic acute Hepatitis. As liver damage becomes more
extensive and severe, chronic acute Hepatitis can cause
cirrhosis, most often resulting in liver failure and even death.
Viral causes of Hepatitis
There are seven viruses that are known to cause Hepatitis.
These are designated by the letters A to G. However, the
cause of some Hepatitis is still unknown, leading scientists
to believe that there are other viruses that have yet to be
discovered.
The three most common viral forms of Hepatitis are:
· Hepatitis A (click here for Hep A page)
· Hepatitis B (see below)
· Hepatitis C (click here for Hep C page)
The other forms of Hepatitis – D, E, F, and G - are very rare.
Hepatitis B
The Hepatitis B virus is passed on very easily and is up to100 times more infectious than HIV.
How it is transmitted
People with the Hepatitis B virus carry it in their body fluids: they have it in their blood and semen, and in their saliva too. If you get any of these into your body or bloodstream, you can get infected with Hepatitis B.
Most people get infected through oral or penetrative sex,
especially if they do not use condoms. Hepatitis B can also
be passed on through kissing. If you inject drugs (including
steroids), you are at risk if you share syringes and other
injecting equipment. Sharing razors, sex toys and personal
items such as toothbrushes can also spread the virus, as it can
live in dried blood.
A person with Hepatitis B is most infectious before they start to show any symptoms of the virus.
Symptoms
You can start to show symptoms of Hepatitis B about six weeks
to six months after getting after getting infected. These symptoms
include:
· Aches and pains
· Exhaustion
· Headaches
· Fever
· Loss of appetite
· Diarrhea
· Abdominal pain
· Feeling sick
A person with Hepatitis B may also get jaundice, which
makes the whites of the eyes and skin go yellow, the urine
go dark and feces turn pale.
Hepatitis B can affect people in different ways. Many people do not experience any symptoms, but they can still pass on the virus. Others get mild symptoms that they do not recognize as related to Hepatitis B, while others get seriously ill but gradually recover. About 10% of people who get Hepatitis B develop long-term liver problems, while about 1% die as a result of the illness.
Recovery
After a few weeks of feeling ill, most people get over Hepatitis B without needing treatment, but you might need several months to get your strength back. You might have to take time off work, get plenty of rest and avoid alcohol and recreational drugs for about a year to allow your liver recover.
Once you have recovered from hepatitis B, you will stop being infectious so you won’t be able to give it to other people. And you will not get it again.
Most people recover and suffer no lasting damage. But about 1 in 10 people do not fully recover and they stay infectious. These people have chronic (long-term) hepatitis and are called carriers. Eventually, they might suffer from serous liver damage through liver cancer and cirrhosis.
If you have trouble clearing the virus from your body after, say, six months, your doctor might prescribe an anti-viral drug. These often have side-effects like severe nausea, headaches and fever.
Prevention
Only vaccination gives real protection against Hepatitis B, although
The use of condoms can reduce the risk transmission during sex.
The
Vaccination is safe, free and involves three injections.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/cd/cdhepb.shtml