Post by admin on Aug 26, 2007 1:56:19 GMT -5
Hepatitis A (HAV) is a virus spread from person to person by anal/oral contact, by putting something in the mouth that has been contaminated with infected faeces, and faecal contamination of food and water.
Infection with hepatitis A is confirmed when the blood test for hepatitis A, called the IgM hepatitis A antibody test, is positive.
Symptoms may include feelings of illness, experiencing jaundice, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine/light stools, and fever.
An infected person can transmit the virus to others as early as two weeks before symptoms appear and one week after. There is no specific treatment for hepatitis A. An infection will clear up in a few weeks to a month and the recovered individual is then immune and will never get HAV infection again.
Some individuals (1 in 100) suffer from an infection (fulminant) that may require a liver transplant. HAV Vaccines are recommended to men who have sex with other men among other groups of people at a higher risk. The HAV vaccine is highly effective in preventing hepatitis A.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis B (HBV) is a disease that causes inflammation to the liver. Although 90-95% of adults recover within six months and will not contract HBV again, blood tests will always show that they have been infected with HBV and blood banks will not accept their blood.
Many people with acute hepatitis B have no symptoms at all, or they may be very mild and flu-like symptoms. About 25-35% of patients may notice dark urine, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), or light coloured stools.
HBV is transmitted through contact with body fluids containing HBV, such as blood, semen and girl thingyl fluids. It is mostly passed on from person to person through sexual contact. HBV tests will not show positive during the incubation period (1-12 weeks). There are three standard HBV tests:
HbsAg - when the test is positive or reactive you are positive and infectious.
Anti-HBc - when you test positive it means you are currently infected or have been infected some time in the past)
Anti-HBs -when the test is positive it means that you are immune to HBV either as a result of having had the disease or from having been vaccinated.
People who have not cleared HBV from their blood within 6 months are considered to be chronically infected.
Hepatitis C (HCV) causes inflammation of the liver. People who are in high risk situations for Hep C include anyone who has had a blood transfusion prior to 1992, those with tattoos, those with multiple sexual partners, and IV drug users. Individuals with body piercing and those who have snorted cocaine are also at risk.
The virus in found in the blood. It is not clear whether it can be transmitted through saliva or breast milk.
All people with HCV are potentially infectious.
There is NO VACCINE for HCV. It is also interesting to note there are various strains of HCV and the virus undergoes mutations. Also, there is no effective immune globulin preparation. Most infected people do not have symptoms. The incubation period varies but averages about 7-8 weeks. The virus in the blood can cause liver damage. If symptoms are present, they may be very mild and flu-like. Most people do not have jaundice, however it can sometimes occur along with dark urine.
HCV may identified by anti-HCV testing in approximately 60% of people as soon as 5-8 weeks after exposure. Few people are able to clear the virus from their blood. Over 80% of cases each year become chronic. Chronic infections refer to those cases that do not clear up in within 6 months. Currently there are three forms of treatment. Avoiding contact with blood of an infected person and practising safer sex decreases the risk of contracting HCV.
Infection with hepatitis A is confirmed when the blood test for hepatitis A, called the IgM hepatitis A antibody test, is positive.
Symptoms may include feelings of illness, experiencing jaundice, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine/light stools, and fever.
An infected person can transmit the virus to others as early as two weeks before symptoms appear and one week after. There is no specific treatment for hepatitis A. An infection will clear up in a few weeks to a month and the recovered individual is then immune and will never get HAV infection again.
Some individuals (1 in 100) suffer from an infection (fulminant) that may require a liver transplant. HAV Vaccines are recommended to men who have sex with other men among other groups of people at a higher risk. The HAV vaccine is highly effective in preventing hepatitis A.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis B (HBV) is a disease that causes inflammation to the liver. Although 90-95% of adults recover within six months and will not contract HBV again, blood tests will always show that they have been infected with HBV and blood banks will not accept their blood.
Many people with acute hepatitis B have no symptoms at all, or they may be very mild and flu-like symptoms. About 25-35% of patients may notice dark urine, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), or light coloured stools.
HBV is transmitted through contact with body fluids containing HBV, such as blood, semen and girl thingyl fluids. It is mostly passed on from person to person through sexual contact. HBV tests will not show positive during the incubation period (1-12 weeks). There are three standard HBV tests:
HbsAg - when the test is positive or reactive you are positive and infectious.
Anti-HBc - when you test positive it means you are currently infected or have been infected some time in the past)
Anti-HBs -when the test is positive it means that you are immune to HBV either as a result of having had the disease or from having been vaccinated.
People who have not cleared HBV from their blood within 6 months are considered to be chronically infected.
Hepatitis C (HCV) causes inflammation of the liver. People who are in high risk situations for Hep C include anyone who has had a blood transfusion prior to 1992, those with tattoos, those with multiple sexual partners, and IV drug users. Individuals with body piercing and those who have snorted cocaine are also at risk.
The virus in found in the blood. It is not clear whether it can be transmitted through saliva or breast milk.
All people with HCV are potentially infectious.
There is NO VACCINE for HCV. It is also interesting to note there are various strains of HCV and the virus undergoes mutations. Also, there is no effective immune globulin preparation. Most infected people do not have symptoms. The incubation period varies but averages about 7-8 weeks. The virus in the blood can cause liver damage. If symptoms are present, they may be very mild and flu-like. Most people do not have jaundice, however it can sometimes occur along with dark urine.
HCV may identified by anti-HCV testing in approximately 60% of people as soon as 5-8 weeks after exposure. Few people are able to clear the virus from their blood. Over 80% of cases each year become chronic. Chronic infections refer to those cases that do not clear up in within 6 months. Currently there are three forms of treatment. Avoiding contact with blood of an infected person and practising safer sex decreases the risk of contracting HCV.