Hepatitis
Overview
What is Hepatitis?
“Hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver. Toxins, certain drugs, some diseases, heavy alcohol use, and bacterial and viral infections can all cause hepatitis. Hepatitis is also the name of a family of viral infections that affect the liver; the most common types are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.
(http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/B/bFAQ.htm#overview)
What is the difference between Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C are diseases caused by three different viruses. Although each can cause similar symptoms, they have different modes of transmission and can affect the liver differently. Hepatitis A appears only as an acute or newly occurring infection and does not become chronic. People with Hepatitis A usually improve without treatment. Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C can also begin as acute infections, but in some people, the virus remains in the body, resulting in chronic disease and long-term liver problems. There are vaccines to prevent Hepatitis A and B; however, there is not one for Hepatitis C. If a person has had one type of viral hepatitis in the past, it is still possible to get the other types.
What is Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is a contagious liver disease that ranges in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. It results from infection with the Hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B can be either “acute” or “chronic.”
Acute Hepatitis B virus infection is a short-term illness that occurs within the first 6 months after someone is exposed to the Hepatitis B virus. Acute infection can — but does not always — lead to chronic infection.Chronic Hepatitis B virus infection is a long-term illness that occurs when the Hepatitis B virus remains in a person’s body.
How is Hepatitis B spread?
Hepatitis B is spread when blood, semen, or other body fluid infected with the Hepatitis B virus enters the body of a person who is not infected. People can become infected with the virus during activities such as:
- Birth (spread from an infected mother to her baby during birth)
- Sex with an infected partner
- Sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment
- Sharing items such as razors or toothbrushes with an infected person
- Direct contact with the blood or open sores of an infected person
- Exposure to blood from needlesticks or other sharp instruments
Can a person spread Hepatitis B and not know it?
Yes. Many people with chronic Hepatitis B virus infection do not know they are infected since they do not feel or look sick. However, they still can spread the virus to others and are at risk of serious health problems themselves.
Can Hepatitis B be spread through food?
Unlike Hepatitis A, it is not spread routinely through food or water. However, there have been instances in which Hepatitis B has been spread to babies when they have received food pre-chewed by an infected person.
What are ways Hepatitis B is not spread?
Hepatitis B virus is not spread by sharing eating utensils, breastfeeding, hugging, kissing, holding hands, coughing, or sneezing.
Who is at risk for Hepatitis B?
Although anyone can get Hepatitis B, some people are at greater risk, such as those who:
- Have sex with an infected person
- Have multiple sex partners
- Have a sexually transmitted disease
- Are men who have sexual contact with other men
- Inject drugs or share needles, syringes, or other drug equipment
- Live with a person who has chronic Hepatitis B
- Are infants born to infected mothers
- Are exposed to blood on the job
- Are hemodialysis patients
- Travel to countries with moderate to high rates of Hepatitis B
If I think I have been exposed to the Hepatitis B virus, what should I do?
If you are concerned that you might have been exposed to the Hepatitis B virus, call your health professional or your health department. If a person who has been exposed to Hepatitis B virus gets the Hepatitis B vaccine and/or a shot called “HBIG” (Hepatitis B immune globulin) within 24 hours, Hepatitis B infection may be prevented.
How long does the Hepatitis B virus survive outside the body?
Hepatitis B virus can survive outside the body at least 7 days. During that time, the virus can still cause infection if it enters the body of a person who is not infected.
How should blood spills be cleaned from surfaces to make sure that Hepatitis B virus is gone?
All blood spills — including those that have already dried — should be cleaned and disinfected with a mixture of bleach and water (one part household bleach to 10 parts water). Gloves should always be used when cleaning up any blood spills. Even dried blood can present a risk to others.
If I had Hepatitis B in the past, can I get it again?
No, once you recover from Hepatitis B, you develop antibodies that protect you from the virus for life. An antibody is a substance found in the blood that the body produces in response to a virus. Antibodies protect the body from disease by attaching to the virus and destroying it. However, some people, especially those infected during early childhood, remain infected for life because they never clear the virus from their bodies.
Can I donate blood, organs, or semen if I have Hepatitis B?
No, if you have ever tested positive for the Hepatitis B virus, experts recommend that you not donate blood, organs, or semen because this can put the recipient at great risk for getting hepatitis.
Points to Remember:
- Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus.
- Anyone can get hepatitis A, but some people are at higher risk.
- You could get hepatitis A through contact with an infected person’s stool.
- Hepatitis A may cause mild, flulike symptoms.
- Hepatitis A usually gets better without treatment.
- You can protect yourself from getting hepatitis A by getting the hepatitis A vaccine.
- See your doctor right away if you think you’ve been exposed to the hepatitis A virus.
- Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus.
- Anyone can get hepatitis B, but some people are at higher risk.
- You could get hepatitis B through contact with an infected person’s blood, semen, or other body fluid.
- Hepatitis B usually has no symptoms.
- Adults and children ages 5 and older sometimes have jaundice or other symptoms.
- Hepatitis B usually is not treated unless it becomes chronic.
- Hepatitis B is chronic when the body can’t get rid of the hepatitis B virus.
- Children, especially infants, are more likely to develop chronic hepatitis B.
- Chronic hepatitis B is treated with drugs that slow or stop the virus from damaging the liver.
- You can protect yourself from getting hepatitis B by getting the hepatitis B vaccine.
- See your doctor right away if you think you’ve been exposed to the hepatitis B virus.
- If you are at higher risk of hepatitis B, get tested. Many people do not know they are infected. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent liver damage.
- Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus.
- Anyone can get hepatitis C, but some people are at higher risk.
- You could get hepatitis C through contact with an infected person’s blood.
- Hepatitis C is chronic when the body can’t get rid of the hepatitis C virus.
- Liver damage can take 10 or more years to happen and is often the first sign of hepatitis C.
- Get tested if you are at higher risk or think you may have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus. Many people do not know they are infected.
- Chronic hepatitis C is treated with drugs that slow or stop the virus from damaging the liver.
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If you are interested in getting screened or vaccinated for Hep B at no cost, please visit Hep B project’s website to get more information. http://hepbproject.wordpress.com/
I have heard in radio about year ago that they have found a research that .. infants before 5 months who are born with Hep B, can be vaccinated and the virus be removed forever. Even if they are born from chronic carriers. i believe this news is very important mostly for people who are born in india and third world.
In America, kids, are given all vaccines when they are born in hospital by law, but in India, and in Tibetan settlements, if each kid receive vaccine before 5 months old. The virus can be removed from that family tree for ever. Thank you tanc and this team, you guys doin very good job and this is something I am very proud that you guys are doing this. I had to do research on this and the amount of asians impacted has shocked me. So keep at it. and please take that information seriously.
Thank you Jigme Dorjee la for reading the information on Hepatitis and for commenting on it. Thank you for pointing out the hepatitis vaccine to infants. Yes, Hepatitis B vaccine can be given to infants. In fact, now a days in some hospitals, they give immunotherapy which includes Hepatitis B immune globulin and Hepatitis B vaccine to infants born to Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive women (chronic hepatitis b carrier) within 12 hours of birth. They administer the remaining vaccine doses at one and six months of age. The Hepatitis B Immune Globulin given at birth provides immediate protection to the infants against the Hepatitis B virus and the first Hepatitis B vaccine starts producing long term protection over the course of two week per some study. But all three vaccination is needed to achieve full vaccine produced immunity. A post-vaccine blood work is needed when the infants reach ages 12 to 15 months to find out the success or failure of the vaccination. A blood test showing postive for anti-HBs result and a negative Hepatitis B surface Antigen indicates that infant is protected against Hepatis B virus. However, blood test showing negative anti-HBs and a positive Hepatitis B surface Antigen means that the infant is infected with Hepatitis B virus and that the infants need follow-up monitoring. The immunotherapy for infants of Hepatitis B virus infected mothers prevents up to 97 percent of infant Hepatitis B virus infections per some research. Therefore, it is very imported to get tested for Hepatitis B especially if you are pregnant or thinking of getting pregnant so that your babies get appropriate treatments at the right time.
Please feel free to leave any comments. We, at TANC Health Promotion Program Committe will try our best to answer your questions or concerns. Thank You.
Here’s a hopeful story in today’s (July 21, 2010) New York Times regarding Hep C: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/22/business/22hepatitis.html?_r=1&hpw
Dechen la and TANC Health Promotion Committee Members,
Why are Asians particularly vulnerable to the Hep B virus? For instance, I believe that one in ten Asian Americans is chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus. According to Stanford School of Medicine, 1.25 million Americans have chronic Hep B infection and over half of them are Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Americans. I lost a Tibetan friend who used to live in the Washington, DC area to this silent killer. He was a seemingly healthy man, and did not know he was infected until four to six months before eventually succumbing to the disease. I encourage all TANC members to get tested and vaccinated. I got my shots a few months ago. You have to get a total of 3 shots over a period of several months.
It takes only 3 shots to protect yourself and your loved ones against Hepatitis B for a lifetime.
Kaydor la,
Thank you for your question. From what I read, the reasons why Asians are more vulnerable to hepatitis B virus are multi-factorial. One of the main reasons, according to some literature, is that hepatitis B vaccines are not readily available in many Asian countries. And due to lack of resources and knowledge, people don’t get routinely tested for hepatitis B virus. Besides, many people who are infected with the virus are symptom free and therefore, do not know that they have the disease until the virus has already damaged their liver, unfortunately, like in the case of your friend. Even if they do know that they are hepatitis B carrier, it is considered something shameful and taboo to be discussing in public. So, the infected person passes the virus to his or her sexual partners and family members knowingly or unknowingly when vaccines could have prevented it.
Experts say that hepatitis B virus is 400 times stronger than HIV and can survive 7 days outside the body and is 100 times more infectious than HIV. And so, if somebody with a cut in his or her hands or in any other part of body comes in contact with hepatitis B virus in the form of dry bodily fluid such as blood or semen, he or she could get infected with the virus and not know it until it is too late to do anything. People also get infected with the virus by sharing razors and toothbrushes with infected individual, which often happens in Asian communities due to lack of resources. Likewise, a pregnant woman who is a chronic hepatitis B carrier could pass the virus to her newborn baby (most common mode of transmission in Asians) if the baby does not receive the Hepatitis B Immune Globulin and the first dose of Hepatitis B vaccine within 12 hours of birth & subsequent 2 vaccines. Per some articles that I have read, the younger you are at the time of infection, higher the chances of becoming chronic hepatitis B carriers. Majority of the babies (about 97%) who get vaccinated accordingly, get immunity to the Hepatitis B virus even though their mothers are chronic Hepatitis B carriers and few babies do not. Therefore, post-vaccine blood test is necessary to find out whether the vaccine was success or failure. So, if the blood test shows that the baby is infected with the virus, that baby needs follow up care throughout his or her life.
In America, many doctors are not aware that Asians are more vulnerable to Hepatitis B virus and don’t routinely order tests unless the person is involved in high-risk behaviors such as unprotected sex and intravenous drug use. So, as Asians, it is to our benefit to be more proactive and ask our health care providers to get us tested. And those people who are infected with the Hepatitis B virus and become chronic Hepatitis B carriers should get ultrasound and liver functions checked yearly even when they exhibit no symptoms of liver disease. Staying vigilant about their viral load and liver functions could provide them with better options of treatments before it gets to end stage liver disease. Of all the liver cancers, Hepatitis B virus is responsible for 80% of primary liver cancers per some research. So, those of you who have not tested yet, please go and get tested and be vaccinated at Hepatitis B project clinic. Hepatitis tests and vaccines are free of charge and if you test positive they will refer you to clinics that will help you with follow up cares. For more information, go to their website: http://hepbproject.wordpress.com/