NH+Hepatitis

=Hepatitis= 3 different types of Hepatitis- all attack the liver
 * 1) Hepatitis A
 * caused by th HAV virus
 * can be prevented through good hygiene, proper sanitation and the vaccine
 * vaccine available to anyone over the age of 12
 * can affect anyone
 * number of cases has decreased by 89% since 1995 when the vaccine came out
 * transmission
 * person to person via the fecal-oral route
 * exposure to fecally contaminated food or water (uncooked/undercooked food and water)
 * high risk people
 * people who travel to other countries where hepatitis is endemic
 * homosexual men
 * illegal drug users (injection or non-injection)
 * people with clotting factor disorders
 * people working with primates that are susceptible to the HAV virus
 * symptoms last about 2 months but about 10-15% of people have prolonged or relapsed symptoms for about 6 months
 * does not become chronic
 * 1) Hepatitis B


 * Caused by the Hepatits B Virus (HBV)
 * can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death
 * vaccine available for everyone
 * along with other symptoms one feels joint pain
 * spread via blood contact
 * sex
 * sharing drugs, needles, ect.
 * sharp exposures at work
 * infected mother to her child during birth
 * high risk people
 * Persons with multiple sex partners or diagnosis of a sexually transmitted disease
 * Men who have sex with men
 * Sex contacts of infected persons
 * Injection-drug users
 * Household contacts of chronically infected persons
 * Infants born to infected mothers
 * Infants/children of immigrants from areas with high rates of HBV infection
 * Health-care and public safety workers with exposure to blood
 * Hemodialysis patients
 * prevention
 * vaccine
 * condoms when having sex
 * pregnant women should get a blood test. if they are infected, their child needs to have a shot of HBIG (hepatitis B immune globulin) and a vaccine within 12 hours of birth
 * don't share needles when doing drugs- stop doing drugs
 * don't share personal hygiene products that might have blood on them (razors, toothbrushes)
 * [[image:hepatitisb.jpg width="121" height="183"]]

3. Hepatitis C Symptoms
 * if any of these apply to you, go see a doctor for a blood test for hepatitis C
 * were notified that you received blood from a donor who later tested positive for hepatitis C.
 * have ever injected illegal drugs, even if you experimented a few times many years ago
 * received a blood transfusion or solid organ transplant before July, 1992
 * were a recipient of clotting factor(s) made before 1987
 * have ever been on long-term kidney dialysis
 * have evidence of liver disease (e.g., persistently abnormal ALT levels)
 * there is no vaccine for hepatitis C so take precaution not to do anything that can possibly result in sharing blood with anyone.
 * Loss of appetite (anorexia)
 * Nausea and/or vomiting
 * Fever
 * Dark urine
 * Stomach pain
 * Fatigue
 * Yellowing of the skin and eyes, aka jaundice
 * Mood change, forgetfulness
 * Black bowel movements- bleeding into the intestine

Diagnosis
 * all types of Hepatitis are very similar
 * blood tests must be done to diagnose hepatitis
 * specific tests done to distinguish between the different types