What is hepatitis?

Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver. Inflammation is a tissue’s reaction to irritation or injury which generally results in swelling and can cause pain.

There are many causes of hepatitis. Viral hepatitis is caused by a virus and can either be acute (lasting less than six months) or chronic (lasting more than six months). Viral hepatitis can be spread from person to person. Some types of viral hepatitis can be spread through sexual contact.

There are five known hepatitis viruses which are categorized by the letters A through E.

• Hepatitis: This formof hepatitis spreads through contaminated water and food . The liver usually heals from hepatitis A within several months. However, occasional deaths from hepatitis A have occurred due to liver failure, and some people have required a liver transplant for acute hepatitis A infection. Hepatitis A can be prevented by vaccination.
• Hepatitis B: Approximately 95% of adults recover from hepatitis Band do not become chronically infected. However, a few cases cause a life-long, chronic infection. The earlier in life hepatitis B is contracted, the more likely it is to become chronic. People can carry the virus without feeling sick but can still spread the virus. Hepatitis B can be prevented by getting a vaccine.
• Hepatitis C: About 75% to 85% of patients with hepatitis C developa chronic liver infection. It often does not show any symptoms. No vaccine is yet available to prevent hepatitis C.
• Hepatitis D: Hepatitis D only happens to people who are infected by the hepatitis B virus. If you are vaccinated against hepatitis B, you will be protected against hepatitis D virus.
• Hepatitis E: This type of hepatitisis spread by ingesting contaminated food or water. Hepatitis E is common throughout the world. Even though vaccines exist, they are not available everywhere.

Healthcare providers might not be able to identify the virus causing hepatitis as one of these. Other viruses, such as CMV, EBV, and HSV can also cause hepatitis.

Most people recover from hepatitis, and the disease is often preventable. However, it is still considered a serious health risk because it can:

• Destroy liver tissue.
• Spread easily from person to person.
• Weaken the body's immune system.
• Cause the liver to fail.
• Cause liver cancer.
• Causedeath(inrarecases).

How does someone get or spread hepatitis?

Hepatitis A can be spread through food or drinking water carrying the virus through bits of fecal matter from an infected person. (This is called the fecal-oral route.) You can also get hepatitis A from sexual contact.

A person can get hepatitis B in many ways, including:

• Having sex with an infected person.
• Sharing dirty needles.
• Being in direct contact with infected blood.
• Getting needle stick injuries.
• Being transferred from mother to unborn child.
• Being in contact with an infected person's body fluids.

An infected mother has a high chance of giving hepatitis B to her child during or after birth. All pregnant women should be tested for hepatitis B. Within 12 hours of birth, infants born to mothers with hepatitis B need to receive treatment with hepatitis B antibody and hepatitis B vaccine. This can prevent transmission of hepatitis B from mother to the baby.

• Sharing dirty needles.
• Being in direct contact with infected blood.
• Getting needle stick injuries.
• Having sex with an infected person (less common).

Blood products are currently tested for hepatitis B and C, so it is not likely that a person will get hepatitis from receiving them. However, blood transfusions or organ transplants before 1992 might have not been tested for hepatitis (in particular, hepatitis C). If you received a procedure before 1992, you might want to get tested for hepatitis.

• Being passed from mother to child during child birth.
• Having contact with in fected body fluids or blood.

You can get hepatitis E by eating or drinking food or water contaminated with the virus (the fecal- oral route). You can also be infected from under- cooked foods like pork, venison, or shellfish. Hepatitis E can be particularly dangerous and even fatal in pregnant women.

What are the symptoms of hepatitis?

• Dark urine.
• Stomach pain.
• Yellow skin or eye whites,called jaundice.
• Pale or clay - colored stool.
• Low-grade fever.
• Loss of appetite.
• Fatigue.
• Feeling sick to your stomach.
• Aching joints.

Contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible if you have any or a combination of these symptoms.

How is hepatitis diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and do a physical exam. There are blood tests that will find out if you have a form of hepatitis caused by a virus.

PREVENTION

Who is at risk of getting hepatitis?

• Share needles to take drugs.
• Practice unprotected oral and/or anal sex.
• Have many sex partners.
• Drink sign if icant amounts of alcohol.
• Have poor nutrition.
• Work in a hospital or nursing home.
• Receive long-term kidney dialysis.
• Travel to areas with poor sanitation.

How can I protect myself against viral hepatitis?

There are many ways you can reduce your chances of getting hepatitis:

• Get the vaccines for hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
• Use a condom during sex.
• Don't share needles to take drugs.
• Practice good personal hygiene such as thorough hand - washing with soap and water.
• Don't use an infected person's personal items.
• Take precautions when getting any tattoos or body piercings.
• Take precaution when traveling to areas of the world with poor sanitation. (Make sure to get your vaccines.)
• Drink bottled water when traveling.

It is very important that you take these preventive measures if you participate in risky behaviors. Take preventive steps, too, if you work in places like a nursing homes, dormitories, daycare centers, or restaurants where there you have extended contact with other people and a risk of coming into contact with the disease.

Is there a vaccine for hepatitis?

There are vaccines for hepatitis A and hepatitis B that are available in the U.S. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. Since you can only get hepatitis D if you have hepatitis B, getting the vaccine against B should protect you against hepatitis D. There is no FDA approved vaccine against hepatitis E, but vaccines against hepatitis E exist overseas (for example, in China).