Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Hepatitis B And C Difference

How To Protect Yourself Against Hepatitis B

Microbiology 550 a Hepatitis Virus A B C D E difference compare Jaundice Blood Serum Sexual

Dr. Fried emphasizes that hepatitis B infection can be prevented by avoiding risky behaviors involving sex and drugs and by getting vaccinated. The hepatitis B vaccination is required for infants at birth, and subsequent vaccinations for adults are also important. There are separate vaccines for hepatitis A and B, but there is also a combination A and B vaccine so you can take care of both types at once. In North Carolina, newborn vaccinations have been required since 1994. Anyone born before this year should talk to their health care provider about being vaccinated for hepatitis B.

How Is Viral Hepatitis Prevented

Prevention of hepatitis involves measures to avoid exposure to the viruses, using immunoglobulin in the event of exposure, and vaccines. Administration of immunoglobulin is called passive protection because antibodies from patients who have had viral hepatitis are given to the patient. Vaccination is called active protection because killed viruses or non-infectious components of viruses are given to stimulate the body to produce its own antibodies.

Avoidance of exposure to viruses

Prevention of viral hepatitis, like any other illness, is preferable to reliance upon treatment. Taking precautions to prevent exposure to another individual’s blood , semen , and other bodily secretions and waste will help prevent the spread of all of these viruses.

Use of immunoglobulins

Immune serum globulin is human serum that contains antibodies to hepatitis A. ISG can be administered to prevent infection in individuals who have been exposed to hepatitis A. ISG works immediately upon administration, and the duration of protection is several months. ISG usually is given to travelers to regions of the world where there are high rates of hepatitis A infection and to close or household contacts of patients with hepatitis A infection. ISG is safe with few side effects.

Hepatitis A

Individuals at increased risk of acquiring hepatitis A are:

Some local health authorities or private companies may require hepatitis A vaccination for food handlers.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for:

Is Everyone Tested For Both Hepatitis B And C

Hepatitis B

The US Centers for Disease and Control recommends testing for certain high-risk groups for hepatitis B.

  • High-risk groups include people not born in the US, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, and people with hepatitis C, among other groups.
  • If you think you have been exposed to hepatitis B, contact your doctor right away. A treatment is available that may reduce your risk of infection if you receive this medicine within 24 hours of exposure to the virus.

Hepatitis C

The CDC recommends that all adults 18 years and older be tested for hepatitis C at least once. Pregnant women should be tested during each pregnancy. Getting tested for hepatitis C is important, because HCV treatments can cure most people in 8 to 12 weeks. If you are at higher risk for HCV, youll need to be tested more frequently.

Treatments for both hepatitis B and hepatitis C are in a class called antivirals, but the medications that are used are different.

Recommended Reading: How To Get Rid Of Hepatitis C

How Do You Treat Hepatitis B

Like hepatitis A, medical treatment for acute hepatitis B is focused on getting plenty of rest and fluids and eating a healthy diet, although sometimes antiviral drugs are recommended for severe cases to help prevent liver failure. Patients with chronic hepatitis B may be given an oral antiviral drug to control the viral infection and minimize liver damage. These drugs are effective, but they rarely cure chronic hepatitis B. Therefore, these medications often have to be taken for life.

What Is The Most Common Strain Of Hepatitis And Who Is Most At Risk Of Contracting It

Hepatitis B vs. hepatitis C: Differences and which is worse

Hepatitis C is the most common strain, with 71 million peopleworldwide suffering from chronic cases. According to Zappas, some 75 percentof people with hepatitis C in the U.S. are baby boomers, born between 1945 and 1965. Additionally, patients with HIV are at higher risk of contracting hepatitis C, the infection occurring in nearly 25 percent of patients who are HIV-positive, and up to 90 percent of HIV-positive injection drug users.

Hepatitis B may be more prevalent among certain demographics, such as in Asian/Pacific Islander populations, Zappas said. Those who engage in regular physical or sexual contact with an infected patient are at higher risk of contracting the infection themselves, since both hepatitis B and C are transmitted via blood and bodily fluids.

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Hepatitis A B And C: Whats The Difference

Hepatitis is often caused by a virus that comes in different strains. The most common strains of hepatitis are hepatitis A, B, and C. They all are contagious, but they differ primarily by the way they are spread.

Table: Differences among hepatitis A, B, and C

Table: Differences among hepatitis A, B, and C

Do You Know The Differences Between Hepatitis A B And C

  • Research

Hepatitis is a general term for inflammation of the liver. Some chronic forms may cause lasting damage to the liver and can lead to serious long-term health effects, and in some cases, death. In fact, The World Health Organization estimatesthat deaths resulting from hepatitis have increased 22 percent since 2000.

Michelle P. Zappas, DNP, FNP, clinical associate professor and family nurse practitioner in the Department of Nursing at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, answers frequently asked questions about the differences between the main forms of viral hepatitisA, B and Cand how to reduce your risk of infection.

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Difference Between Hepatitis A B And C

Hepatitis A vs B vs C

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver due to a viral infection. Even though the liver is involved in all types of hepatitis, the virus type, route of transmission, natural history and treatment protocols are different between the types of hepatitis. This article will discuss the virus type, route of transmission, signs and symptoms, investigation and diagnosis, natural history, and treatment protocols of each type of hepatitis and compare them to differentiate one from the other.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is a food and water borne infection. Hepatitis A virus is a RNA virus. Usually travelers to tropical countries fall victim to this infection. Children get this infection easily. Virus enters the body via food or water and incubates for 3 to 6 weeks before causing prodromal symptoms like fever, ill health, lethargy, body ache, joint pains. During the active phase, yellowish discoloration of eyes develops with liver, spleen and lymph node enlargement.

Full blood count shows low white blood cell count and low platelets. Serum transaminases rise during the active phase. AST and ALT rise are more than ALP rise. ALT rises more than AST. Serum IgM rises after 25 days of exposure to indicate recent infection. After sero-conversion IgG remains detectable for life.

Hepatitis A is self-limiting but fulminant hepatitis is a rare possibility. Chronic hepatitis does not occur with hepatitis A.

Hepatitis B

Treatment is supportive. Alcohol avoidance is essential.

How Are Hepatitis B And C Diagnosed

What is Hepatitis B and C? – Dr. Robert S. Brown

Hepatitis B is diagnosed by a series of blood tests. The test may show an ongoing infection or antibodies that indicate that the patient is protected against hepatitis B. In patients who have a positive screening test that suggests the possibility of ongoing infection, further testing is done to determine the levels of the virus in the bloodstream.

Hepatitis C is diagnosed via a blood test called a Hepatitis C Antibody Test. A positive result means that hepatitis C antibodies are present in the blood. But a positive antibody test doesnt necessarily mean a person has hepatitis C. A further blood test is needed to confirm the diagnosis. This second blood test quantifies the amount of the virus or the viral load in the liver and the bloodstream.

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Symptoms Of Hepatitis B Virus

Symptoms for acute hepatitis B virus typically appear about 1 to 4 months after exposure and may resemble the flu. Most people with acute hepatitis B develop no symptoms. Symptoms may include:

  • fatigue

Symptoms from liver involvement can include:

  • dark urine
  • clay-colored stools
  • yellow-colored skin or eye sclera

Chronic hepatitis B is a lifelong infection and occurs in about 5% of patients who contract the virus. Infants and children are more likely to develop a chronic hepatitis B infection, but symptoms may not appear as frequently.

Up to 25% of people who develop chronic infection will develop serious liver conditions, such as cirrhosis , liver failure, or liver cancer.

Those with chronic hepatitis B do not typically have symptoms or feel ill, and can remain symptom free for 30 years or more. If symptoms appear, they are similar to the symptoms of acute infection listed above, but can be at a more advanced stage of liver impairment.

Acquiring hepatitis B during international travel is a possibility in certain regions, so review the CDC guidelines and talk to your doctor for recommendations before travel. If you know you have been exposed to hepatitis B, contact your doctor immediately within 24 hours as you may be able to receive a preventive treatment

The Deadliest Form Of Hepatitis Is One You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and Yahoo Lifestyle will be shining light on the illness, which affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, with educational articles and first-person accounts.

Youre probably aware that there is more than one form of hepatitis, but its understandable if you cant keep them all straight. After all, there are five main forms of the disease. But while they share the name hepatitis, theyre not exactly the same.

Theyre all caused by different viruses, and they all have different prognoses some can lead to liver cancer, and some dont, infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

At its core, hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, Carlos Romero-Marrero, MD, a hepatologist at the Cleveland Clinic specializing in hepatitis and liver disease, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. But from there, things are a little more nuanced.

Hepatitis as a whole isnt overly common in the United States, but cases of viral hepatitis have been on the rise in recent years, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hepatitis A, B, and C are the biggest hepatitis viruses in the U.S., William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis D

Hepatitis E

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

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What Are The Symptoms Of Hepatitis B And C

In most patients, hepatitis B develops slowly over the course of several decades, and thus most patients have no symptoms. People who have advanced liver disease such as cirrhosis of the liver may experience complications and symptoms that reflect liver failure. Other symptoms include:

  • A buildup of fluid within the abdominal cavity
  • Confusion and tremors , which are complications due to the inability of the liver to filter out toxins that are normally cleaned out by a healthy liver
  • Vomiting of blood, or blood within the stool . This is a complication in which enlarged veins within the esophagus or stomach bleed as a consequence of increased pressure around the diseased liver.

Most patients with chronic hepatitis C infection report no symptoms. But some patients may have very nonspecific symptoms related to fatigue and discomfort on the right side of the abdomen. Often, symptoms that lead to a diagnosis of hepatitis C are noticeable only at the end stage of liver disease, when the patient has developed liver cirrhosis and liver failure.

Because hepatitis B and C typically have no specific symptoms, many people who have the viruses dont even know it.

What Makes Yale Medicine’s Approach To Treating Hepatitis B And C Unique

What Are The Differences Between Hepatitis A, B, and C ...

The Viral Hepatitis Program at Yale Medicine represents one of the leading viral hepatitis treatment programs in the country and is engaged in innovative research focused on advancing the care of patients with chronic hepatitis B, C and D infections.

A multidisciplinary team of faculty physicians and mid-level providers offer a coordinated approach to preparing patients for success with antiviral therapy, including comprehensive laboratory testing services to characterize your infection, non-invasive liver fibrosis testing with techniques such as FibroScan liver elastography, structured hepatitis patient education classes, mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques , a formal physician-guided weight-loss program and access to clinical trials evaluating current and new therapies that are not available in routine clinical practice. Our program is a core member of several national and international observational cohort studies which contributes to the advancement of science of hepatitis treatment around the world.

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How Do You Get Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C can be contracted only through direct blood contact. In the U.S., the primary mode of transmission is blood exposure through sharing needles. Mother-to-child transmission is about 5 percent of cases. Hepatitis C infection might also be a risk for people who received a blood transfusion or an organ transplant before 1992, when widespread testing of the blood supply for hepatitis C began.

If I Have Hepatitis How Can I Avoid Giving It To Someone Else

For hepatitis A, one of the best things you can do is wash your hands a lot. That will keep the virus out of food and drinks.

If you have hepatitis B and C, you need to find ways to keep others from making contact with your blood. Follow these tips:

  • Cover your cuts or blisters.
  • Carefully throw away used bandages, tissues, tampons, and sanitary napkins.
  • Don’t share your razor, nail clippers, or toothbrush.
  • If your blood gets on objects, clean them with household bleach and water.
  • Don’t breastfeed if your nipples are cracked or bleeding.
  • Don’t donate blood, organs, or sperm.
  • If you inject drugs, don’t share needles or other equipment.

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Hepatitis And Liver Transplant

Any form of hepatitis can cause liver damage. If the liver becomes severely damaged, a liver transplant is necessary.

With more than 14,000 Americans on the waiting list for a liver transplant, patients often wait years for a transplant. Living donor transplantation allows a transplant to take place before the disease progresses further.

To reduce time on the transplant waiting list, you can choose to find a living donor. During a living-donor liver transplant, the surgeon takes a small part of the donors healthy liver and transplants it into the recipient. This process is possible because of the livers unique ability to regenerate, or regrow.

Screening For Hepatitis B & C

Viral Hepatitis: Comparing Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E

NYU Langone doctors provide screening for hepatitis B and hepatitis C, two forms of hepatitis that can become chronic and lead to serious liver damage without treatment.

Hepatitis is characterized by inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus. These diseases are contagious and can be spread from person to person through contact with bodily fluids such as blood and semen. Hepatitis B and C can also be passed from mother to child during birth.

Hepatologists, or liver specialists, and infectious disease specialists at NYU Langone recommend screening for some people who may be at increased risk of becoming infected.

Even though hepatitis B and C may cause no symptoms for years or even decades after infection, the viruses still may damage the liver. For this reason, screening is an important tool for early detection and treatment. It can prevent serious illness, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer, and hinder the spread of infection.

Vaccination for hepatitis is also an important prevention tool.

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How Are Hepatitis B And Hepatitis C Spread From Person To Person

Like HIV, the hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses spread:

  • From mother to child: Pregnant women can pass these infections to their infants. HIV-HCV coinfection increases the risk of passing on hepatitis C to the baby.
  • Sexually: Both viruses can also be transmitted sexually, but HBV is much more likely than HCV to be transmitted sexually. Sexual transmission of HCV is most likely to happen among gay and bisexual men who are living with HIV.

How Are Hepatitis B And C Treated

Hepatitis B: Not all patients with chronic hepatitis B infection require treatment. At Yale Medicine, specialists decide on an individual basis whether a patient is an appropriate candidate for treatment. Generally, patients require treatment when their hepatitis B virus level is high, and when laboratory tests demonstrate significant inflammation or injury to the liver.

There are currently seven approved drugs for hepatitis B, two of which are considered to be first-line treatments. These drugs are oral pills taken once daily, and while they’re very effective at suppressing the virus to very low or undetectable levels over the long term, they are not considered curative.

Therefore, the goal of treatment is to control the virus long-term and decrease the risk of hepatitis B related complications such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Hepatitis C: For the greater part of the last 20 years, treatment of hepatitis C required the use of a chemotherapy-like injection drug called interferon, which has been associated with serious side effects and a low cure rate. Fortunately, advances in hepatitis C treatments within the last three years now allow for the use of oral medications that are significant improvements in terms of safety and effectiveness.

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