Hepatitis
Hepatitis means ‘liver inflammation’. It is caused by a virus. Several types of hepatitis virus can infect the liver, but the most common are the hepatitis A, B and C viruses.
Types of Hepatitis
Hepatitis can be categorized as either acute or chronic.
Acute Hepatitis
Acute Hepatitis occurs suddenly or gradually, but in either case, it is short-lived, usually lasting less than two months. For someone with acute Hepatitis, liver damage is usually mild.
On rare occasions, acute Hepatitis can be fatal. In some circumstances, acute Hepatitis can progress to chronic Hepatitis.
Chronic Hepatitis
Chronic Hepatitis persists for long periods of time and is
classified as either chronic persistent or chronic acute.
Chronic persistent Hepatitis is usually mild and progresses
slowly. However, it can become more severe, progressing
to chronic acute Hepatitis. As liver damage becomes more
extensive and severe, chronic acute Hepatitis can cause
cirrhosis, most often resulting in liver failure and even death.
Viral causes of Hepatitis
There are seven viruses that are known to cause Hepatitis.
These are designated by the letters A to G. However, the
cause of some Hepatitis is still unknown, leading scientists
to believe that there are other viruses that have yet to be
discovered.
The three most common viral forms of Hepatitis are:
· Hepatitis A (click here for Hep A page)
· Hepatitis B (click here for Hep B page)
· Hepatitis C (see below)
The other forms of Hepatitis – D, E, F, and G - are very rare.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is possibly less easily passed on than Hepatitis A or B, but it can be the most damaging form of the disease.
How it is transmitted
The Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is mainly found in blood, including dried blood, but it can also be present in semen. If you get infected blood or semen into your bloodstream, you can get Hepatitis C.
Until recently, the virus was not thought to be transmitted through unprotected sex, but more people have been becoming infected with the virus during sex. You may also be at risk of getting infected with Hepatitis C if you share syringes or other injecting drug paraphernalia or drug inhaling straws or sex toys or razors.
Symptoms
Many of the symptoms of Hepatitis C are similar to those of
Hepatitis A and B. They can appear from two weeks to six
months after infection, and are often mistaken for the flu.
Although some people get no symptoms at all, you may
experience:
· Tiredness
· Anxiety
· Weight loss
· Loss of appetite
· Alcohol intolerance
· Pain around the liver
· Concentration problems
· Feeling sick
· Other flu-like symptoms such as fever, headaches, chills
and night sweats.
A person with Hepatitis C may also get jaundice, which
makes the whites of the eyes and skin go yellow, the urine
go dark and faeces turn pale.
Recovery
Hepatitis C is much more serious than some other types of
Hepatitis and the body is unlikely to clear it on its own.
This means that treatment is often used, but it is not always
successful. People with Hepatitis C will need to take care of
themselves while they are ill and have regular check-ups
with a specialist. They should maintain a balanced, low fat diet
and avoid taking drugs and alcohol.
Most people who get infected with Hepatitis C become carriers. However, chronic infection can result in fatal cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer.
Prevention
Unfortunately, there is no vaccine against Hepatitis C. You can prevent getting infected with Hepatitis C by using condoms and lubrication when you have anal sex, and not sharing needles, or sniffing equipment.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/cd/cdhepc.shtml