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Hepatitis
*Information for this page was taken from Hepatitis Foundation International www.hepatitisfoundation.org, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.CDC.gov and the SF AIDS Foundation at www.aidshotline.org.
What is Hepatitis?
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Although there are seven known types of hepatitis, usually it is caused by one of three viruses; Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C.
Hepatitis A (HAV)
What is Hepatitis A (HAV)?
- HAV is a virus that causes inflammation of the liver. It does not lead to chronic disease.
How is it Spread?
- HAV is transmitted by fecal/oral (anal/oral sex) route with infected persons and close person to person contact with people who have Hepatitis A.
- Ingestion of contaminated food and water
- Hand to mouth after contact with infected feces (such as changing diapers)
What are the Symptoms?
- Children may experience no symptoms.
- Adults may experience such as:
- light stools
- dark urine
- fatigue
- fever
- nausea
- vomiting
- abdominal pain
- jaundice
Is There a Vaccine?
- Yes. Two doses of the vaccine to any one over 1 year of age.
Who’s at Risk?
- Household or sexual contact with a person living with an infected person
- Living in an area with a HAV outbreak
- Travelers to developing countries
- Persons engaging in anal/oral sex
- Injection drug users
Prevention
- Vaccination
- Short-term protection is available from Hepatitis A from immune globulin. This can be given before and within two weeks of contact with Hepatitis A.
- Washing hands with soap and water after using the bathroom
- Clean household surfaces (10 parts water to 1 part bleach) to clean surfaces contaminated with feces (such as changing tables)
- Safe sex
Hepatitis B
What is Hepatitis B (HBV)?
- HBV is a virus that causes inflammation of the liver.
- HBV can cause liver cell damage, leading to cirrhosis and cancer.
How is it Spread?
- HBV is spread through the contact with infected blood, seminal fluid, vaginal secretions, contaminated needles, including tattoos and body-piercing tools.
- HBV can be passed from mother to newborn, by human bite, or sexual contact.
What are the Symptoms?
- About 30% of those infected show no symptoms and children are less common than adults to show symptoms.
- Others may have mild flu-like symptoms such as:
- light stools
- dark urine
- fatigue
- fever
- jaundice
- abdominal pain
- loss of appetite
- nausea
- vomiting
- join pain
Is There a Vaccine?
- Yes. Three doses of the vaccine may be given to persons of any age.
Who’s at Risk?
- Infants born to infected mothers
- Infant and children of immigrants from areas of HBV infection.
- Having sex with an infected partner or multiple partners
- Injection drug users
- Emergency responders
- Healthcare workers
- Persons engaging in anal/oral sex
- Hemodialysis patients
- Household contacts of chronically infected persons
Prevention
- Vaccination provides coverage for 20+ years
- Hepatitis B Immune Globulin within one week of exposure
- Clean up infected blood with household bleach and wear protective gloves
- Do not share razors, toothbrushes, or needles
- Safe sex
Hepatitis C
What is Hepatitis C (HCV)?
- HCV is a virus that causes inflammation of the liver.
- HCV can cause liver cell damage, leading to cirrhosis and cancer.
How is it Spread?
- HAV is transmitted by contact with infected blood, contaminated IV needles, razors, needles, and tattoo body-piercing tools.
- Infected mother to newborn.
What are the Symptoms?
- Some people may experience no symptoms.
- Others may have mild flu-like symptoms such as:
- light stools
- dark urine
- fatigue
- fever
- jaundice
- abdominal pain
- loss of appetite
- nausea
Is There a Vaccine?
Who’s at Risk?
- Blood transfusion recipients before 1992
- Healthcare workers
- Injection drug users
- Hemodialysis patients
- Infants born to infected mother
- Sex partners
Prevention
- Clean up spilled blood with household bleach.
- Wear gloves when touching blood.
- Do not share razors, toothbrushes, or needles with anyone.
- Safe sex
- People who are HCV positive should not donate blood, organs, or tissue.
The information provided on this website in no way replaces the information and advice provided by a health care professional. A doctor, nurse or Hemophilia Treatment Center should be contacted regarding the diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition.
Links are provided to outside web sites. These sites are not developed or maintained by FCS Pharmacy. The links are provided for your convenience only and FCS Pharmacy neither endorses nor supports the statements they contain in any way. FCS Pharmacy does not verify the authenticity of these links or the content they provide.
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