● Avoid alcohol and other drugs, large doses of vitamins, and prescription drugs metabolized by the liver (sometimes including birth control pills). ● Drink high-calorie fluids such as fruit juices and eat a balanced diet that includes dairy products; meat, poultry or seafood; breads and cereals; and fruits and vegetables (To control nausea, try eating several smaller meals). ● Limit activity if your hepatitis is symptomatic; this typically means bed rest at first, progressing to normal activity as symptoms disappear. Hepatitis A (HAV) Hepatitis A infects 125,000 - 200,000 people each year and can be easily transmitted. You can become infected by eating or drinking something that has been contaminated with the stool (feces) or blood of someone who has the disease. Facts about hepatitis A Symptoms occur 2-6 weeks after exposure and can last from several days to six months. The virus usually causes mild illness and is often mistaken for a stomach virus, although occasionally symptoms are more serious. It is rarely fatal and does not cause permanent liver damage. A person with hepatitis A is considered contagious, which means they can transmit the virus to others as early as two weeks before symptoms appear. The hepatitis A virus does not cause the long-term, chronic symptoms that other hepatitis viruses can cause. Behavior practices associated with hepatitis A infection ● Eating contaminated food, such as undercooked shellfish from contaminated water or food handled by someone who has hepatitis A. ● Using silverware, cups or glasses that an infected person touched with unwashed hands. ● Changing diapers or linens that contain stool from someone with hepatitis A and neglecting to wash your hands. ● Sharing food with an infected person or drinking water contaminated with sewage. ● Oral or anal sexual contact with an infected person. ● Traveling to developing countries where the disease is common. Hepatitis B (HBV) In the United States, approximately 300,000 people are infected with HBV annually. Of these cases, a small percentage are fatal. “Hepatitis” means “inflammation of the liver,” and its name implies, hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. Hepatitis B is transmitted through ‘blood-to-blood` contact. Hepatitis B initially causes inflammation of the liver, but it can lead to more serious conditions such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. There is no “cure” or specific treatment for HBV, but many people who contract the disease will develop antibodies, which help them get over the infection and protect them from getting it again. It is important to note, however, that there are different kinds of hepatitis, so infection with HBV will not stop someone from getting another type. The hepatitis B virus is very durable, and it can survive in dried blood for up to seven days. For that reason, this virus is the primary concern for employees such as housekeepers, funeral directors, custodians, laundry personnel and other employees who may come in contact with blood or potentially infectious materials in a non first aid or medical care situation. Symptoms The symptoms of HBV are very much like a mild “flu.” Initially there is a sense of fatigue, possible stomach pain, loss of appetite, and even nausea. As the disease continues to develop, jaundice (a distinct yellowing of the skin and eyes), and darkened urine often develop. However, people who are infected with HBV will often show no symptoms for some time. After exposure it can take 1-9 months before symptoms become noticeable. Loss
Your health professional may recommend hospitalization if you experience severe vomiting or do not feel better after several weeks. You should know that researchers are making gains in treating the chronic liver disease associated with both hepatitis B and C. There is not much available for treatment. Interferon has been approved in chronic hepatitis B and C cases for those aged 18 or older. Prevention is still the best option.
● Sharing needles can also put you at risk. The hepatitis A virus can be transmitted through blood if needles are shared. However, poor hygiene - either among people who use drugs or among drug producers - is probably a more important reason for the high prevalence among drug users. Prevention of hepatitis A Practice good personal hygiene. Always wash your hands after postmortem contact with blood or fecal matter, when cleaning or after using the toilet, and before preparing or eating food. Avoid foods that could be contaminated, such as under-cooked shellfish or food that’s been prepared by someone who has the virus. When traveling to developing countries, drink only bottled or boiled water, don’t use ice, and don’t eat raw fruits or vegetables unless they’ve been peeled. It is also a good idea to get the hepatitis A vaccine. Exposure to hepatitis A If you think you’ve been directly exposed to the hepatitis A virus, visit your health care provider immediately for treatment. Some treatments can help ward off the infection if administered in time (hepatitis A vaccine and IgG). All people who have close household or sexual contact with an infected person also need treatment. Preventing the spread of hepatitis A If you think you may be infected with hepatitis A: ● Always wash your hands well after using the toilet. ● Don’t prepare or handle food for others while you are infectious. ● Avoid sexual contact with other people until you are fully recovered. of appetite and stomach pain, for example, commonly appear within 1-3 months, but can occur as soon as 2 weeks or as long as 6-9 months after infection. Hepatitis B (HBV) and sexually transmitted disease prevented by HBV vaccine The hepatitis B virus infects people of all ages. It is one of the fastest-spreading sexually transmitted infections (STI), and also can be transmitted by sharing needles or by any behavior in which a person’s mucus membranes are exposed to an infected person’s blood, semen, vaginal secretions, or saliva. While the initial sickness is rarely fatal, 10 percent of people who get hepatitis B are infected for life and run a high risk of developing serious, long-term liver diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer which can cause serious complications or death. A safe, effective vaccine that prevents hepatitis B is available. If you or someone you know practices behaviors that can spread hepatitis B, ask a medical professional about the vaccine. Don’t become one of the 300,000 Americans who contracts hepatitis B every year. Facts about hepatitis B (HBV) ● Symptoms, if they occur, appear from one to six months after exposure to the virus. ● An infected person can begin infecting others four to six weeks before symptoms appear, and can continue infecting others long after symptoms subside. ● About one in ten people infected with hepatitis B become chronic carriers; they continue carrying the virus and spread it to others even though their symptoms have disappeared.
EliteLearning.com/Funeral
Book Code: FFL1223
Page 3
Powered by FlippingBook