In the United States today, most cases of outbreaks of hepatitis (liver disease) is caused by one of three hepatitis viruses (A, B or C). Contracting one of several viruses may not cause any symptoms or may only cause mild flu-like illness. Nevertheless, this virus can also cause heart failure, coma and death. Hepatitis A is usually a mild disease of short-term, but hepatitis B, hepatitis C and hepatitis D can cause long-term illnesses. Two other types of viral hepatitis, D and E, is most common in the United States. Hepatitis D only affects people who have been infected with virus B. Hepatitis E has been found only found in people who have lived or traveled outside the United States.
Depending on the virus, the hepatitis can be contracted through a number of ways, including:
Exposed to feces of infected people (hepatitis A)
Eating shellfish from waters contaminated with feces (hepatitis A)
Exposed to blood, vaginal fluids, semen or breast milk of people infected (hepatitis B)
Free intercourse (hepatitis B and C)
Sharing contaminated needles (hepatitis B, C and D)
Since the early 1990s, the techniques that have been updated in filtering the blood-donated blood has greatly reduced the risk of transmission of hepatitis B or C from blood transfusions. According to U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), the current risk of having hepatitis C from blood transfusion is 1 in 100,000 units.
Hepatitis also has many other possible causes, such as:
Consuming large amounts of alcohol, a common cause of hepatitis in the United States.
The drugs, including nitrofurantoin (Furadantin, Macrobid, Macrodantin), methylodpa (Aldomet, Amodopa), phenytoin (Dilantin and other names), isoniazid (Laniazid, Nydrazid), ketoconazole (Nizoral, dantrolene (Dantrium) and some lowering drugs cholesterol. Hepatitis developing reasons not clear to some people who consume drugs, although the prescribed dose.
Other viruses, such as cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus (which causes mononucleosis disease), herpex simplex virus, varicella virus (which causes chickenpox) and rubella (which causes German measles)
Bacteria, such as that causes typhoid fever, syphilis, brucellosis, and leptospirosis Legionnaires disease (even though these diseases rarely cause hepatitis in the United States).
Fungi, including histoplasmosis and candida (in people who have a compromised immune system)
Parasites, including those that cause ascariasis, Toxocariasis, amebiasis, strongyloides, schistosomiasis, toxoplasmosis and malaria. Your immune system, which can cause a condition called autoimmune hepatitis, in which the immune system attacks liver cells.
The symptoms of hepatitis
Symptoms of hepatitis vary depending on the cause and how much damage the liver. In mild cases, many people who have absolutely no symptoms or have flu-like symptoms, as well as fever, unusual fatigue or feeling sick, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, discomfort in the upper right side of the abdominal cavity and muscle pain.
In some more severe cases, chemicals from the liver to form the blood and urine, causing the symptoms as follows:
- The yellow color of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)
- Dark urine, such as the color of tea
- Dirt-colored light gray
The duration of hepatitis
How long does hepatitis lasts depends on the type of hepatitis and the age and health. For example, most adults and children who previously healthy who develop hepatitis A recover fully in about a month.
About 5% of adults who are exposed to hepatitis B develop long-lasting form of the disease. Level is much higher for infants and young children. In the end a small percentage of these people develop cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Hepatitis is caused by bacterial infections or parasites usually improve when treated, but the liver damage will be permanent in some cases. Hepatitis caused by drugs and alcohol usually improves when the elements intruder is stopped, but liver damage can take place in some cases.
Prevention
You can reduce the chance you get hepatitis by following the basic guidelines below: Frequently wash your hands Buy shellfish only reliable food stores
If you want to catch the mussels themselves, catch shellfish from waters that have been deemed safe by health authorities
Before traveling to another country, ask your doctor whether you need hepatitis A vaccine or immunoglobulin to protect you from infection
If you are active in related entities, their relatives, with only one person who is not infected with hepatitis and use of condoms
Avoid injecting illegal drugs
If you are going to undergo surgery, ask your doctor to donate some of your own blood before. If necessary, blood can be transfused back to you during the operation. This is called antilogous blood transfusion.
Ask your doctor if you need a vaccination for hepatitis B. This vaccine, which is now routine for babies, could be useful for some adults who have a higher risk of exposure to hepatitis B
If you think that you have been exposed to someone who is exposed to hepatitis B, ask your doctor whether you need hepatitis B immunoglobulin and / or hepatitis B vaccine
Treatment
Someone who has a severe case of viral hepatitis may be necessary to a specialist in digestive system (gastroenterologist) and may require treatment in hospital. For cases of more mild, your doctor may recommend to rest at home and a modified diet - usually the foods in small portions, continuous, high in calories, with lots of fluids. Various types of drugs have been available in treating hepatitis B and C.
Prognosis
Most people who have hepatitis A atu B recover without treatment. More than 85% of people who have hepatitis C, and a few of the people who have hepatitis B develop chronic hepatitis. Some people with hepatitis B suffer from the disease their entire life and can transmit the infection hepatitisnya to other people. People who suffer from chronic hepatitis C can also be contagious, and can transmit the virus through blood contact with blood.
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