2. What is Hepatitis?
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver –
In Latin hepa means liver, itis means inflammation
Hepatitis can be caused by a virus that gets into your body
and attacks the liver
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3. How big is the liver?
The liver is the LARGEST internal organ!!!
In young children: about the size of a grapefruit
In adults: about the size of a football
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4. Healthy Liver vs. Sick
Liver
This is a healthy liver This is a sick, scarred
liver (cirrhosis)
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5. Viral Hepatitis
•Hepatitis viruses: A, B, C
•Scientists call hepatitis disease by the name of the virus
Virus Disease
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) Hepatitis C
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7. Hepatitis A Virus
•First identified in 1973
•Scientifically classified as
Picornavirus
•Contains single-stranded
ribonucleic acid (RNA)
Single-stranded
RNA
Electron micrograph/picture of hepatitis A virus
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8. Hepatitis A Virus
Hepatitis A is an acute liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus
(HAV), lasting from a few weeks to several months. It does not lead
to chronic infection. It is found in the stool (poop) of persons with
hepatitis A
Mode of Transmission : fecal–oral route
Person to person contact
living with someone who has hepatitis A
having sexual contact with someone who has hepatitis A
Average incubation period : is 4 weeks with a range of 15-50 days.
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9. Symptoms
You might have :
Tiredness
Loss of appetite
Fever
Stomach-ache
Diarrhea
Dark urine
Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes ,icterus)
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10. Hepatitis A Vaccine
Hepatitis A vaccine is usually given as two shots
over a 6-18 month period (hepatitis A vaccine is
approved for persons 1 year of age and older)
Hepatitis A vaccines are safe and effective
protection will probably last for at least 20 years
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11. Other Ways to Prevent
HAV Infection
Wash your hands after using the toilet or changing a
diaper and before preparing or eating food
Wear gloves if you have to clean surfaces
contaminated with stool (e.g., diaper changing tables)
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12. Other Ways to Prevent
Hepatitis A
Boiling or cooking food and beverage items for at
least 1 minute to 185°F (85°C) inactivates the virus
(makes the virus NOT infectious)
When traveling to countries where hepatitis A is
common
Do not drink beverages (with or without ice) of
unknown purity
Do not eat uncooked shellfish
Do not eat uncooked fruits and vegetables that are
not peeled or prepared by you personally
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13. Treatment
There is no specific medical treatment for hepatitis A. Your
doctor can advise you on what you should do or what you
should not do
Once fully recovered:
You cannot get hepatitis A again
You are no longer infected and cannot give the
infection to others
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14. Hepatitis B Virus
•First recognized in 1960s
•Scientifically classified as
Hepadnavirus
•Contains deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA) DNA
Double-Stranded Polymerase
DNA
Electron micrograph/picture of hepatitis B virus
15. Hepatitis B Virus
is a serious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV).
Infection with this virus can cause scarring of the liver,
liver failure, liver cancer and even death.
The highest rate of infection occurs among those 20 to 49
years old.
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16. Hepatitis B Virus
HBV is found in the blood and body
fluids (e.g., semen, vaginal fluids) of
an infected person .
Average incubation period :is
about 16 weeks
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17. Modes of Transmission
Sexual contact with an infected person without using a
condom
Injection drug use
Sharing needles, syringes or “works” (e.g., water, cookers, cotton,
spoons) when “shooting” drugs
Tattoos and body piercing
Tattoo or body piercing done with tools that might have someone
else’s blood on them
From an infected mother to her child at birth
Sharing personal care items, such as toothbrushes or razors
with an infected person
Human bite from an infected person 17
18. Symptoms
You might have :
Tiredness
Loss of appetite
Fever
Diarrhea
Dark urine
Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes)
.
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19. Hepatitis B Vaccine
Hepatitis B vaccine is usually given as three shots over a 4-6
month period
There is also a 2-shot schedule for 11-15 year olds
Hepatitis vaccines are safe and effective
protection will last for at least 15 years
Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for:
all infants
all children and adolescents
adults at increased risk
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20. Other Ways to Prevent
Practice safer sex Hepatitis B
Abstain from sex or use condoms (spermicides)
consistently and correctly
Wear gloves if you have to touch anyone’s blood
Do not shoot drugs; if you shoot drugs, stop and get into a
treatment program; if you can’t stop, never reuse or share drugs,
needles, syringes or “works” (e.g., water, cookers, cotton,
spoons); use an unused sterile syringe for each injection; use
sterile water, or at least clean water, from a reliable source to
prepare drugs
Do not share toothbrushes, razors, or other personal care articles
that might have blood on them 20
21. Other Ways to Prevent
Hepatitis B
If you are pregnant, you should get a blood test for
hepatitis B, so steps can be taken to protect your baby if
you are infected
Treatment:
There is no treatment for acute (new infection) hepatitis B
Liver transplant
Hepatitis B: acute HB will go away by itself and recover
completely; Chronic HB will stay forever, Uncurable
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22. Interferon. The immune system-boosting medicine interferon
alpha is injected for at least 6 months. This drug does not cure
the disease, but improves liver inflammation. Long-acting
interferon (peginterferon) has also been shown to be useful.
Interferon does have some undesirable side effects, including:
malaise, depression, and loss of appetite, and it can lower the
number of white blood cells.
Epivir. This drug is taken orally once a day. Usually, the drug
is well tolerated. Viral mutations often arise after prolonged
use.
Hepsera. This drug works well in people whose disease doesn't
respond to Epivir but, in high doses it can cause kidney
problems.
Baraclude. This is the newest drug for hepatitis B
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23. Hepatitis C Virus
Single-stranded RNA
• First identified in 1989
• Scientifically classified as
Flavivirus
• Contains ribonucleic acid
(RNA)
Schematic view of hepatitis C virus
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24. Hepatitis C Virus
HCV is found in the blood and body fluids
(e.g., semen, vaginal fluids) of an infected
person
Average incubation period : is 7 to 9
weeks
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25. Modes of Transmission
Injection drug use
Sharing needles, syringes or "works" (e.g., water, cookers,
cotton, spoons) when "shooting" drugs
Sex with an HCV-infected person
Sharing items (e.g., razors or toothbrushes) that
might have blood on them
Tattoos and body piercing
Tattoo or body piercing done with tools that might have someone else’s blood on
them
From an HCV-infected mother to her child at birth
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26. Symptoms
You might have :
Tiredness
Loss of appetite
Fever
Stomach-ache
Diarrhea
Dark urine
Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes)
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27. Hepatitis C: Prevention
Practice safer sex
Abstain from sex or use condoms consistently and correctly
Wear gloves if you have to touch anyone’s blood
Do not shoot drugs; if you shoot drugs, stop and get into a treatment
program; if you can’t stop, never reuse or share drugs, needles,
syringes or “works” (e.g., water, cookers, cotton, spoons); use an
unused sterile syringe for each injection; use sterile water, or at least
clean water, from a reliable source to prepare drugs
Do not share toothbrushes, razors, or other personal care articles that
might have blood on them
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28. Hepatitis C: Prevention
If you are thinking about getting a tattoo or body
piercing, consider the risks. You might get infected if
tools have someone else’s blood on them or if the
artist or piercer does not follow good health
practices, such as washing hands, using sterile
equipment and using disposable gloves
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29. Treatment
There is no treatment for acute (new
infection) hepatitis C
For chronic (life-long) hepatitis C
antiviral medicines are available
Treatment might take as long as a year
Liver transplant
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