Hepatitis A, B, C

Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by infection with the hepatitis A virus (HAV), and its symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and yellowing of eyes. The infection usually goes away on its own without treatment and does not cause long-term (chronic) illness; very rarely, hepatitis A can cause life-threatening liver failure.

Hepatitis A spreads when people eat food or drink water that is contaminated by stool (feces) that has the virus in it. In rare cases the virus is spread by contact with infected blood or blood products.

You can be infected with HAV only once. After that, you have lifelong immunity to the virus and can't get the disease again. Infection can be prevented by getting immunized with the hepatitis A vaccine.

There is no treatment for hepatitis A other than rest, a balanced diet, and avoiding alcohol.

What Increases Your Risk??



Risk factors for hepatitis A include:

* Eating food that has been prepared by someone who is infected with the hepatitis A virus and who has poor hygiene.
* Eating raw or undercooked shellfish (such as oysters or clams).
* Eating uncooked food (such as unpeeled fruits or vegetables) or drinking tap water or well water while traveling in countries where hepatitis A is common.
* Living in a community where hepatitis A is common and outbreaks occur (largely a risk factor for young children).
* Living in a household with someone who has hepatitis A.

Lifestyle factors that increase your risk for hepatitis A include:

* Traveling to countries where hepatitis A is common.
* Being a man who has sex with men.
What is hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. Most adults who get hepatitis B have it for a short time and then get better. This is called acute hepatitis B.

You can have hepatitis B and not know it. You may not have symptoms. If you do, they can make you feel like you have the flu. But as long as you have the virus, you can spread it to others.

Sometimes the virus causes a long-term infection, called chronic hepatitis B. Over time, it can damage your liver. Babies and young children infected with the virus are more likely to get chronic hepatitis B.
What causes hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus. It is spread through contact with the blood and body fluids of an infected person.

You may get hepatitis B if you:

* Have sex with an infected person without using a condom.
* Share needles (used for injecting drugs) with an infected person.
* Get a tattoo or piercing with tools that were not cleaned well.
* Share personal items like razors or toothbrushes with an infected person.

A mother who has the virus can pass it to her baby during delivery. If you are pregnant and think you may have been exposed to hepatitis B, get tested. If you have the virus, your baby can get shots to help prevent infection with the virus.

You cannot get hepatitis B from casual contact such as hugging, kissing, sneezing, coughing, or sharing food or drinks.
What are the symptoms?

Many people with hepatitis B do not know they have it, because they do not have symptoms. If you do have symptoms, you may just feel like you have the flu. Symptoms include:

* Feeling very tired.
* Mild fever.
* Headache.
* Not wanting to eat.
* Feeling sick to your stomach or vomiting.
* Belly pain.
* Diarrhea or constipation.
* Muscle aches and joint pain.
* Skin rash.
* Yellowish eyes and skin (jaundice). Jaundice usually appears only after other symptoms have started to go away.

Most people with chronic hepatitis B have no symptoms.
How is hepatitis B diagnosed?

A simple blood test can tell your doctor if you have the hepatitis B virus now or if you had it in the past. Your doctor will also be able to tell if you have had the vaccine to prevent the virus.

If your doctor thinks you may have liver damage from hepatitis B, he or she may use a needle to take a tiny sample of your liver for testing. This is called a liver biopsy.

What is hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is a disease caused by a virus that infects the liver. In time, it can lead to permanent liver damage as well as cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure.

Many people do not know that they have hepatitis C until they already have some liver damage. This can take many years. Some people who get hepatitis C have it for a short time and then get better. This is called acute hepatitis C. But most people who are infected with the virus go on to develop long-term, or chronic, hepatitis C.

Although hepatitis C can be very serious, most people can manage the disease and lead active, full lives.
What causes hepatitis C infection?

Hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus. It is spread by contact with an infected person's blood.

You can get hepatitis C if:

* You share needles and other equipment used to inject illegal drugs. This is the most common way to get hepatitis C in the United States.
* You had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992. As of 1992 in the United States, all donated blood and organs are screened for hepatitis C.
* You get a shot with a needle that has infected blood on it. This happens in some developing countries where they use needles more than once when giving shots.
* You get a tattoo or a piercing with a needle that has infected blood on it. This can happen if equipment isn't cleaned properly after it is used.

In rare cases, a mother with hepatitis C spreads the virus to her baby at birth, or a health care worker is accidentally exposed to blood that is infected with hepatitis C.

Experts are not sure if you can get hepatitis C through sexual contact. If there is a risk of getting the virus through sexual contact, it is very small.

You cannot get hepatitis C from casual contact such as hugging, kissing, sneezing, coughing, or sharing food or drink.
What are the symptoms?

Most people have no symptoms when they are first infected with the hepatitis C virus. If you do develop symptoms, they may include:

* Feeling very tired.
* Joint pain.
* Belly pain.
* Itchy skin.
* Sore muscles.
* Dark urine.
* Yellowish eyes and skin (jaundice). Jaundice usually appears only after other symptoms have started to go away.

Most people go on to develop chronic hepatitis C but still do not have symptoms. This makes it common for people to have hepatitis C for 15 years or longer before it is diagnosed.