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Viral Hepatitis A To E Fact Book
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hepetitis
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 Hepatitis is inflammation of the
liver.
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Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. Several different viruses
cause viral hepatitis. They are named the hepatitis A, B, C, D, and
E viruses.
All of these viruses cause acute, or short-term, viral hepatitis.
The hepatitis B, C, and D viruses can also cause chronic hepatitis,
in which the infection is prolonged, sometimes lifelong.
Other viruses may also cause hepatitis, but they have yet to be
discovered and they are obviously rare causes of the disease.
Symptoms of viral hepatitisSymptoms include
- jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
- fatigue
- abdominal pain
- loss of appetite
- nausea
- diarrhea
- vomiting.
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| However, some people do not have symptoms until the disease is
advanced. |
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Hepatitis A
Disease Spread
Primarily through food or water contaminated
by feces from an infected person. Rarely, it spreads through contact with
infected blood.
People at Risk
International travelers; people living in
areas where hepatitis A outbreaks are common; people who live with or have
sex with an infected person; and, during outbreaks, day care children and
employees, sexually active gay men, and injection drug users.
Prevention
The hepatitis A vaccine; also, avoiding tap water
when traveling internationally and practicing good hygiene and sanitation.
Treatment
Hepatitis A usually resolves on its own over
several weeks.
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Hepatitis B
Disease Spread
Through contact with infected blood, through
sex with an infected person, and from mother to child during childbirth.
People at Risk
Injection drug users, people who have sex with
an infected person, men who have sex with men, children of immigrants from
disease-endemic areas, people who live with an infected person, infants
born to infected mothers, health care workers, and hemodialysis patients.
Prevention
The hepatitis B vaccine.
Treatment
Drug treatment with alpha interferon or
lamivudine.
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Hepatitis C
Disease Spread
Primarily through contact with infected
blood; less commonly, through sexual contact and childbirth.
People at Risk
Injection drug users, hemodialysis patients,
health care workers, people who have sex with an infected person, people
who have multiple sex partners, infants born to infected women, and people
who received a transfusion of blood or blood products before July 1992 or
clotting factors made before 1987.
Prevention
There is no vaccine for hepatitis C--the only way
to prevent the disease is to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus.
This means avoiding behaviors like sharing drug needles or sharing
personal items like toothbrushes, razors, and nail clippers with an
infected person.
Treatment
Drug treatment with alpha interferon or
combination treatment with interferon and the drug ribavirin.
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Disease Spread
Through contact with infected blood. This
disease occurs only in people who are already infected with hepatitis B.
People at Risk
Anyone infected with hepatitis B. Injection
drug users who have hepatitis B have the highest risk. People who have
hepatitis B are also at risk if they have sex with a person infected with
hepatitis D or if they live with an infected person.
Prevention
Immunization against hepatitis B for those not
already infected; also, avoiding exposure to infected blood, contaminated
needles, and an infected person's personal items (toothbrush, razor, nail
clippers).
Treatment
Drug treatment with alpha interferon.
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Hepatitis E
Disease Spread
Through food or water contaminated by feces
from an infected person. This disease is uncommon in the United States.
People at Risk
International travelers; people living in
areas where hepatitis E outbreaks are common; and people who live or have
sex with an infected person.
Prevention
There is no vaccine for hepatitis E--the only way
to prevent the disease is to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus.
This means avoiding tap water when traveling internationally and
practicing good hygiene and sanitation.
Treatment
Hepatitis E usually resolves on its own over
several weeks to months.
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Other Causes of Viral Hepatitis
Some cases of viral hepatitis cannot be
attributed to the hepatitis A, B, C, D, or E viruses. This is called non
A...E hepatitis or hepatitis X. Scientists have identified several
candidate viruses, but none have been proven to cause hepatitis. The
search for the virus responsible for hepatitis X continues.
Keeping on Top of Your Condition
Keeping in tune with your disease or condition not only makes treatment less intimidating but also increases its chance of success, and has been shown to lower a patients risk of complications. As well, as an informed patient, you are better able to discuss your condition and treatment options with your physician.
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Additional Resources
Information about viral hepatitis is also available from
American Liver Foundation
75 Maiden Lane, Suite 603
New
York, NY 10038
Phone: 1-800-GO-LIVER (465-4837)
Internet: http://www.liverfoundation.org/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center
for Infectious Diseases
Hepatitis Branch
1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 1-888-443-7232
Internet: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/
Hepatitis Foundation International (HFI)
504 Blick
Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20904-2901
Phone: 1-800-891-0707 or (301)
622-4200
Fax: (301) 622-4702
Email: hepfi@hepfi.org
Internet: http://www.hepfi.org/
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