Saturday, March 16, 2024

How Can You Catch Hepatitis

History And Physical Exam

How is Hepatitis C spread? — Mayo Clinic

To diagnose all forms of hepatitis, your doctor will first take your history to determine any risk factors you may have.

During a physical examination, your doctor may press down gently on your abdomen to see if thereâs pain or tenderness. Your doctor may also check for any swelling of the liver and any yellow discoloration in your eyes or skin.

Keep Personal Items Personal

Any tools or implements that may have a bit of blood on them from infected people are potential sources of hepatitis B or C transmission. Toothbrushes, nail clippers, razors, needles, and washcloths may all contain trace amounts of blood that can transmit infection. Keep personal items such as these to yourself and never use personal items that belong to others.

Hepatitis C: Who Is At Risk

People who have injected illegal drugs at any time, even one time, many years ago, could be walking around with chronic hepatitis C. Because there are often no symptoms, many former drug users may not realize they have the infection. People who received a blood transfusion before 1992 also have a higher risk. Before that year, donated blood was not screened for the hepatitis C virus.

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Hepatitis C: What Happens

About 25% of people who get hepatitis C defeat the virus after a short-term infection. The rest will carry the virus in their body for the long term. Chronic hepatitis C can cause very serious complications, including liver failure and liver cancer. There are effective treatments for the virus, though.

How Do I Avoid Getting Sick

Hepatitis A

These tips will help protect you and your family from Hepatitis A:

  • Wash your hands after using the washroom and changing diapers, and before preparing or eating food.
  • When travelling, especially to developing countries:
  • drink water from a safe supply
  • avoid ice cubes in drinks
  • eat only freshly cooked food
  • avoid non-peelable raw fruit or vegetables
  • Talk to your doctor about getting a Hepatitis A vaccination before travelling.
  • Cook food to a safe internal temperature using a digital thermometer.
  • If you think that you have been exposed to the Hepatitis A virus, see your doctor immediately. Vaccination can prevent the onset of symptoms if given within two weeks of exposure.
  • If you have been diagnosed with Hepatitis A, or any other gastrointestinal illness, do not prepare food or pour water for other people.
  • Also, these safe food practices will reduce your risk of contracting Hepatitis A and other foodborne illnesses.

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    The A B Cs Of Hepatitis

    Hepatitis A

    The hepatitis A virus causes acute inflammation of the liver that almost always gets better on its own, although it can be more serious if you get it when you are older or if you already have liver disease. It is easily spread from person to person, in food and water, and can infect many people at once. For example, if a food handler at a restaurant is infected with hepatitis A, those who eat food prepared by that handler may be infected. Hepatitis A can be prevented by getting vaccinated.

    Hepatitis B

    The hepatitis B virus can be both acute and chronic and is spread through blood or other body fluids in various ways. Hepatitis B is very common in Asia and Africa and those who were born or lived in these areas should be checked for hepatitis B. Like hepatitis A, a vaccine is available to prevent HBV infection as long as you have not been previously exposed. Although chronic HBV cannot be cured, there are oral medications available to treat and control the virus.

    Hepatitis C

    The hepatitis C virus is almost always chronic and spreads mostly by direct blood to blood contact. Although hepatitis A and B can be prevented by vaccination, hepatitis C cannot. However, there are currently oral medications available that are able to cure Hepatitis C in 95% of all cases regardless of prior treatment history.

    Symptoms Of Hepatitis B

    Many people with hepatitis B will not experience any symptoms and may fight off the virus without realising they had it.

    If symptoms do develop, they tend to happen 2 or 3 months after exposure to the hepatitis B virus.

    Symptoms of hepatitis B include:

    • flu-like symptoms, including tiredness, a fever, and general aches and pains
    • loss of appetite
    • tummy pain
    • yellowing of the skin and eyes

    These symptoms will usually pass within 1 to 3 months , although occasionally the infection can last for 6 months or more .

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    Undercooked And Raw Shellfish

    Shellfish are animals that filter the water from their surroundings. Because of this, they can become contaminated with hepatitis A virus if they are grown in polluted waters. To be safe, cook shellfish thoroughly before eating it. Undercooked shellfish like oysters, mussels, and clams may harbor and transmit hepatitis A. You may prefer the taste of raw oysters, but cooked shellfish really is safer. Protect your health and skip the raw oyster bar.

    Sharing A Fork Spoon And Glass

    How do you get hepatitis A?

    You’re at a restaurant and someone at your table offers a taste of their delicious cheesecake. Should you politely pass? Well, not if you’re worried about catching hepatitis C. Go ahead and taste that dessert because sharing eating utensils doesn’t spread the virus. Also, have a sip of their water, too. Remember, spreading hepatitis C requires direct contact with infected blood, not saliva.

    Also Check: How Do You Cure Hepatitis

    Hepatitis B: How Does It Spread

    You can get it through contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person. In the U.S., it’s most often spread through unprotected sex. It’s also possible to get hepatitis B by sharing an infected person’s needles, razors, or toothbrush. And an infected mother can pass the virus to their baby during childbirth. Hepatitis B is not spread by hugging, sharing food, or coughing.

    How Can I Protect Myself And Others

    • Never share injecting drug equipment or things that may have blood on them such as toothbrushes and razors. Also avoid sharing straws or rolled up banknotes if snorting drugs with others.
    • Use condoms for anal and vaginal sex and latex gloves for fisting.
    • During group sex, cover anything which goes from one partner to another with a fresh condom or fresh latex glove for each new person it enters. Clean objects with warm water and anti-bacterial soap before using on a new partner.
    • Dont share enema equipment or pots of lubricant.

    If you have hepatitis C you may want to tell a partner and explain that youre infectious. They can then decide if they’re happy to take any risks and whether they want to take precautions. That way they cannot accuse you of infecting them without them knowing that the risk was there.

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    Poor Infection Control For Tattooing And Piercing

    The notes that HCV may be transmitted by receiving tattoos or piercings from unregulated settings with poor infection control standards.

    Commercially licensed tattooing and piercing businesses are generally thought to be safe.

    More informal settings may not have adequate safeguards to help avoid the spread of infections. Receiving a tattoo or piercing in settings such as in a prison or in a home with friends carries a of HCV transmission

    What Are The Symptoms Of Hepatitis A

    Hepatitis A

    Children who become infected with hepatitis A before age 6 usually have no symptoms or mild illness, and if they do become ill, they usually get better in under 2 months. Adults and older children who become infected with hepatitis A can have no symptoms or very mild illness , but most develop jaundice and other symptoms . Mild illness can resolve in 1-2 weeks, but more severe illness can last for months. Common symptoms of HAV infection include:

    • Jaundice

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    Can Hepatitis A Be Prevented Or Avoided

    The best way to protect yourself against hepatitis A is to get the vaccine. The hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for all children older than age 1. It begins to protect you only 4 weeks after you are vaccinated. A 6- to 12-month booster is required for long-term protection. Ask your doctor if the vaccination is right for you.

    You should also wash your hands with soap and warm water before and after cooking, after using the bathroom, and after changing diapers.

    Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating and avoid raw or undercooked meat and fish.

    You are at higher risk for hepatitis A if you:

    • Live with or have sex with someone who has hepatitis A
    • Travel to countries where hepatitis A is common
    • Are a man who has sex with other men
    • Use illegal drugs
    • Have a clotting-factor disorder

    What Does The Government Do To Protect Me

    In Canada, several government organizations work together every day to keep your food safe:

    • Health Canada makes food safety standards and policies to help minimize the risk of foodborne illnesses.
    • The Canadian Food Inspection Agency enforces these policies and standards and carries out inspections to make sure the food industry meets its food safety responsibilities. The CFIA works with Health Canada to make sure that foodborne illness is detected early and warnings go out to the public quickly.
    • The Public Health Agency of Canada studies the incidence and causes of diseases in Canada, conducts outbreak surveillance, and coordinates outbreak response.

    The Government of Canada works very hard to protect your health and safety:

    • We are carrying out a five-year Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan, to strengthen and modernize Canada’s safety system and make sure you can have confidence in the quality and safety of the food, health and consumer products you buy.
    • We are investing $75 million more in Canada’s food safety system to hire more inspectors, update lab technology, and improve communication with Canadians.
    • We support and participate in public awareness campaigns about safe food practices, like the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education’s Be Food Safe program, which encourages Canadian consumers to think of food safety at every step of the food handling process, from shopping for groceries to re-heating leftovers.

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    How Do I Know If I Have Hepatitis C Virus

    Diagnosis of hepatitis C virus requires a blood test your doctor can order. Other blood tests can determine which subtype of HCV you have to better target your drug treatment, if needed. Your doctor will also want to know your viral load . In some patients, a liver biopsy is required to determine the level of damage.

    Symptoms of chronic HCV may not appear for 2 to 3 decades after infection, so the disease may develop silently in your body for many years. This is the reason you should be tested for HCV infection, to start treatment if needed and to help protect your liver from damage.

    The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends anyone 18 years or older be tested for hepatitis C virus at least once in their lifetime. Women should be tested for hepatitis C testing during each pregnancy. Some high risk groups may need more frequent testing, such as people who share drug preparation equipment and those on hemodialysis.

    Learn More: Oral Hepatitis C Treatments: The Evolving Landscape

    What Is Hepatitis A

    Curing Hepatitis C – WTHR

    For kids, hep A is the most common type of hepatitis to get. The virus lives in poop from people who have the infection. That’s why it’s so important to wash your hands before eating and after going to the bathroom. If you don’t, and then go make yourself a sandwich, hep A virus might end up on your food, and then in you!

    Vegetables, fruits, and shellfish also can carry hepatitis if they were harvested in contaminated water or in unsanitary conditions. Hepatitis A affects people for a short time, and when they recover, it does not come back.

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    How Do You Get Hepatitis B

    The virus that causes hepatitis B lives in blood, semen, and other fluids in your body. You usually get it by having sex with someone who’s infected.

    You also can get it if you:

    • Have direct contact with infected blood or the body fluids of someone who’s got the disease, for instance by using the same razor or toothbrush as someone who has hepatitis B, or touching the open sores of somebody who’s infected.
    • If you’re pregnant and you’ve got hepatitis B, you could give the disease to your unborn child. If you deliver a baby who’s got it, they need to get treatment in the first 12 hours after birth.

    Who Should Be Tested

    Testing for hepatitis A is not routinely recommended.

    CDC recommends hepatitis B testing for:

    • Men who have sex with men
    • People who inject drugs
    • Household and sexual contacts of people with hepatitis B
    • People requiring immunosuppressive therapy
    • People with end-stage renal disease
    • People with hepatitis C
    • People with elevated ALT levels
    • Pregnant women
    • Infants born to HBV-infected mothers

    CDC recommends hepatitis C testing for:

    • All adults aged 18 years and older
    • All pregnant women during each pregnancy
    • About 24,900 new infections each year
    • About 22,600 new infections in 2018
    • Estimated 862,000 people living with hepatitis B
    • About 50,300 new infections in 2018
    • Estimated 2.4 million people living with hepatitis C

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    What Is The Treatment For Hepatitis

    Each type of hepatitis is treated differently.

    Hepatitis A often goes away on its own and home treatment is all that is needed to help the liver recover, such as:

    • Rest
    • Avoiding alcohol
    • Avoiding certain medicines that can be harmful to the liver

    Hepatitis B often goes away on its own in about 6 months, and can also be treated at home with the above remedies. Other treatments for hepatitis B include:

    Treatment for hepatitis C is effective on certain forms of the hepatitis C virus. The choice of medications depends on the type of hepatitis C you have, whether you have been treated for the illness before, how much liver damage has occurred, any other underlying medical issues, and other medicines you take. Treatment for hepatitis C usually involves 8 to 12 weeks of oral antiviral medications, such as:

    • Elbasvir-grazoprevir
    • Sofosbuvir-velpatasvir-voxilaprevir

    Giving Blood And Organ Donation

    Information for pregnant people, families, household ...

    If you have hepatitis C, you cannot give blood.

    In a recent research study in America kidneys from people with hepatitis C who had died were transplanted into patients who did not have the virus.

    All of the recipients subsequently contracted hepatitis C but were treated for it and all were cured. The benefit of receiving a kidney outweighed the risk of not clearing hepatitis C.

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    Vaccination Against Hepatitis A

    Vaccination against hepatitis A is not routinely offered in the UK because the risk of infection is low for most people.

    It’s only recommended for people at an increased risk, including:

    • close contacts of someone with hepatitis A
    • people planning to travel to or live in parts of the world where hepatitis A is widespread, particularly if sanitation and food hygiene are expected to be poor
    • people with any type of long-term liver disease
    • men who have sex with other men
    • people who inject illegal drugs
    • people who may be exposed to hepatitis A through their job this includes sewage workers, people who work for organisations where personal hygiene may be poor, such as a homeless shelter, and people working with monkeys, apes and gorillas

    The hepatitis A vaccine is usually available for free on the NHS for anyone who needs it.

    Causes Of Noninfectious Hepatitis

    Although hepatitis is most commonly the result of an infection, other factors can cause the condition.

    Alcohol and other toxins

    Excess alcohol consumption can cause liver damage and inflammation. This may also be referred to as alcoholic hepatitis.

    The alcohol directly injures the cells of your liver. Over time, it can cause permanent damage and lead to thickening or scarring of liver tissue and liver failure.

    Other toxic causes of hepatitis include misuse of medications and exposure to toxins.

    Autoimmune system response

    In some cases, the immune system mistakes the liver as harmful and attacks it. This causes ongoing inflammation that can range from mild to severe, often hindering liver function. Itâs three times more common in women than in men.

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    How Do You Get Hepatitis C

    Just like hepatitis B, you can get this type by sharing needles or having contact with infected blood. You can also catch it by having sex with somebody who’s infected, but that’s less common.

    If you had a blood transfusion before new screening rules were put in place in 1992, you are at risk for hepatitis C. If not, the blood used in transfusions today is safe. It gets checked beforehand to make sure it’s free of the virus that causes hepatitis B and C.

    It’s rare, but if you’re pregnant and have the disease, it’s possible to pass it to your newborn.

    There are some myths out there about how you get hepatitis C, so let’s set the record straight. It’s not spread by food and water . And you canât spread it by doing any of these things:

    • Joint pain

    See your doctor as soon as possible if you have any of these symptoms.

    Sometimes, people have no symptoms. To be sure you have hepatitis, youâll need to get tested.

    How To Prevent Hepatitis B

    Hepatitis A: Guidance For County Jails

    Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by a virus . It can be serious and theres no cure, but the good news is its easy to prevent. You can protect yourself by getting the hepatitis B vaccine and having safer sex. If you have oral, anal, and vaginal sex, use condoms and dental dams to help stop the spread of hepatitis B and other STDs.

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