Facts about hepatitis A Symptoms
Prevention of hepatitis A Practice good personal hygiene. Always wash your hands after any contact with blood, when cleaning or after using the toilet, and before preparing or eating food. Avoid foods that could be contaminated, such as undercooked 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). Those who have close household or sexual contact with an infected person also need treatment. ● 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. The UCSF notes: There is no specific therapy for acute hepatitis A Preventing the transmission of hepatitis A If you think you may be infected with hepatitis A: infection. Therefore, prevention is the key. An effective vaccine is available and recommended for anyone with liver disease. It also is recommended for people planning to travel to areas of the world where sanitation may be less than optimal. Before receiving the vaccine, the patient usually will have a blood test to check whether antibody to the virus is present already, in which case vaccination is unnecessary (UCSF, 2020). 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 one to nine months before symptoms become noticeable. Loss of appetite and stomach pain, for example, commonly appear within one to three months, but can occur as soon as two weeks or as long as six to nine 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% 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.
Symptoms occur two to six 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. ● 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. Hepatitis B (HBV) Every year approximately 80,000 Americans will become infected with hepatitis B and over 2 million have chronic infection. “Hepatitis” means “inflammation of the liver,” and as 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.
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