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Hepatitis means
inflammation of the liver. Viral hepatitis is inflammation of the liver
caused by a virus. There are five identified types of viral hepatitis and
each one is caused by a different virus. In the United States, hepatitis A,
hepatitis B and hepatitis C are the most common types. Hepatitis A is caused
by hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B is caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV),
and hepatitis C is caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV).
What are the symptoms of viral hepatitis?
The symptoms of acute (newly acquired) hepatitis A, B and C are the same.
Symptoms occur more often in adults than in children. If symptoms occur,
they might include:
How are hepatitis A, B, and C viruses spread?
Hepatitis A Virus (HAV)
Hepatitis A virus is spread from person to person by putting something in
the mouth that has been contaminated with the stool of a person with
hepatitis A. This type of transmission is called "fecal-oral." Most
infections result from contact with a household member or sex partner who
is infected with HAV. Casual contact, as in the usual office, factory, or
school setting, does not spread the virus.
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
HBV is spread when blood from an infected person enters the body of a
person who is not infected. For example, HBV is spread through having sex
with an infected person without using a condom (the efficacy of latex
condoms in preventing infection with HBV is unknown, but their proper use
might reduce transmission), by sharing drugs, needles, or "works" when
"shooting" drugs, through needlesticks or sharps exposures on the job, or
from an infected mother to her baby during birth.
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
HCV is
spread when blood from an infected person enters the body of a person who
is not infected.
This could happen through sharing needles or "works" when "shooting"
drugs, through needlesticks or sharps exposures on the job, or from an
infected mother to her baby during birth.
Can I donate blood if I have had any type of
viral hepatitis?
If you had any type of viral hepatitis since age 11, you are not eligible to
donate blood. In addition, if you ever tested positive for hepatitis B or
hepatitis C, at any age, you are not eligible to donate, even if you were
never sick or jaundiced from the infection.
How long can HAV, HBV and HCV survive outside the body?
HAV
: HAV can live outside the body for months, depending on the environmental
conditions.
HBV
: HBV can survive outside the body at least 7 days and still be
capable of transmitting infection.
HCV
:Recent studies have shown that HCV can survive outside the body and still
transmit infection for 16 hours, but not longer than 4 days.
For how long is hepatitis B vaccine effective?
Recent studies indicate that immunologic memory remains intact for at least
23 years and confers protection against clinical illness and chronic HBV
infection, even though anti-HBs levels might become low or decline below
detectable levels.
Are booster doses of hepatitis B vaccine
needed?
No, booster doses of hepatitis B vaccine are not recommended routinely. Data
show that vaccine-induced hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) levels
might decline over time; however, immune memory (anamnestic anti-HBs
response) remains intact indefinitely following immunization. People with
declining antibody levels are still protected against clinical illness and
chronic disease.
What does the term "hepatitis B carrier" mean?
“Hepatitis B carrier” is a term that is sometimes used to indicate people
who have chronic (long-term) infection with HBV. Two percent to 6% of
persons over 5 years of age; 30% of children 1-5 years of age; and up to 90%
of infants develop chronic infection. Persons with chronic infection can
infect others and are at increased risk of serious liver disease including
cirrhosis and liver cancer. In the United States, an estimated 1.25 million
people are chronically infected with HBV.
If my hepatitis B vaccination series is
interrupted, do I have to start over?
No. If the vaccination series is interrupted, resume with the next dose in
the series.
What drugs are used to treat chronic hepatitis
B?
There are at least five drugs used for the treatment of people with
chronic hepatitis B: Adefovir dipivoxil, interferon alfa-2b, pegylated
interferon alfa-2a, lamivudine, and entecavir.
What is the treatment for chronic hepatitis C?
Combination therapy, using pegylated interferon and ribavirin, is currently
the treatment of choice. |
