What is Viral Hepatitis Hepatitis means inflammation of

What is Viral Hepatitis? “Hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver. The liver is a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected. Heavy alcohol use, some medications, and certain medical conditions can cause hepatitis. However, hepatitis is most often caused by a virus. In the United States, the most common types of viral hepatitis are A, B, C.

Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A virus (HAV). Hepatitis A is highly contagious. HAV is a 27 - to 32 -nm spherical particle with cubic symmetry containing a linear single-stranded RNA genome with a size of 7. 5 kb. It is assigned to picornavirus . Hepatitis A is a self-limited disease that does not result in chronic infection. More than 80% of adults with Hepatitis A have symptoms but the majority of children do not have symptoms or have an unrecognized infection. Antibodies produced in response to Hepatitis A last for life and protect against reinfection. The best way to prevent Hepatitis A is by getting vaccinated.

How is HAV transmitted? Person-to-person transmission through the fecal -oral route (i. e. , ingestion of something that has been contaminated with the feces of an infected person) is the primary means of HAV transmission in the United States. Most infections result from close personal contact with an infected household member or sex partner.

Common-source outbreaks and sporadic cases also can occur from exposure to fecally contaminated food or water. Uncooked HAV-contaminated foods have been recognized as a source of outbreaks. Cooked foods also can transmit HAV if the temperature during food preparation is inadequate to kill the virus or if food is contaminated after cooking, as occurs in outbreaks associated with infected food handlers. Waterborne outbreaks are infrequent in developed countries with wellmaintained sanitation and water supplies.

What are the signs and symptoms of HAV infection? Some persons, particularly young children, are asymptomatic. When symptoms are present, they usually occur abruptly and can include the following: Fever, Fatigue, Loss of appetite, Nausea, Vomiting, Abdominal pain, Dark urine, Clay-colored bowel movements, Joint pain, Jaundice.

How long does HAV survive outside the body? How can the virus be killed? HAV can live outside the body for months, depending on the environmental conditions. The virus is killed by heating to > >85 degrees C for one minute. However, the virus can still be spread from cooked food if it is contaminated after cooking.

How is hepatitis A diagnosed? Hepatitis A can be diagnosed using blood tests. The blood test looks for two different types of antibodies to the virus. First it looks for immunoglobulin M (Ig. M) antibodies, which the immune system produces five to 10 days before symptoms appear and usually disappear within six months. It also looks for Ig. G antibodies, which replace Ig. M antibodies and protect against future HAV infection.

How is HAV infection prevented? Vaccination with the full, two-dose series of Hepatitis A vaccine is the best way to prevent HAV infection. Hepatitis A vaccine has been licensed in the United States for use in persons 12 months of age and older. Good hygiene — including handwashing after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and before preparing or eating food — is also integral to Hepatitis A prevention, given that the virus is transmitted through the fecal–oral route. Environmental surfaces can be cleaned with a freshly prepared solution of 1: 100 dilution of household bleach.

Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). Electron microscopy of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs. Ag)-positive serum reveals three morphologic forms. The most numerous are spherical particles measuring 22 nm in diameter. These small particles are made up exclusively of HBs. Ag—as are tubular or filamentous forms, which have the same diameter but may be more than 200 nm long—and result from overproduction of HBs. Ag.

Larger, 42 -nm spherical virions (originally referred to as Dane particles) are less frequently observed. The outer surface, or envelope, contains HBs. Ag and surrounds a 27 -nm inner nucleocapsid core that contains hepatitis B core antigen (HBc. Ag). Risk for chronic infection is related to age at infection: approximately 90% of infected infants become chronically infected, compared with 2%– 6% of adults. Chronic Hepatitis B can lead to serious health issues, like cirrhosis or liver cancer. The best way to prevent Hepatitis B is by getting vaccinated.

How is HBV transmitted? HBV is transmitted through activities that involve percutaneous(puncture through the skin) or mucosal contact with infectious blood or body fluids (e. g. , semen, saliva), including Sex with an infected partner Injection drug use that involves sharing needles, syringes, or drug-preparation equipment Birth to an infected mother Contact with blood or open sores of an infected person Needle sticks or sharp instrument exposures Sharing items such as razors or toothbrushes with an infected person.

HBV is not spread through food or water, sharing eating, breastfeeding, hugging, kissing, hand holding, coughing, or sneezing.

How long does HBV survive outside the body? HBV can survive outside the body at least 7 days and still be capable of causing infection. What should be used to remove HBV from environmental surfaces? Any blood spills — including dried blood, which can still be infectious — should be cleaned using 1: 10 dilution of one part household bleach to 10 parts of water for disinfecting the area. Gloves should be used when cleaning up any blood spills

What are the signs and symptoms of HBV infection? The presence of signs and symptoms varies by age. Most children under age 5 years and newly infected immunosuppressed adults are asymptomatic, whereas 30%– 50% of persons aged ≥ 5 years have initial signs and symptoms. When present, signs and symptoms can include Fever, Fatigue, Loss of appetite, Nausea, Vomiting, Abdominal pain, Dark urine, Claycolored bowel movements, Joint pain, Jaundice.

Persons with chronic HBV infection might be asymptomatic, have no evidence of liver disease, or have a spectrum of disease ranging from chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer).

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C is a bloodborne virus. HCV is a positive-stranded RNA virus, classified as family Flaviviridae, genus Hepacivirus. For some people, hepatitis C is a short-term illness but for 70%– 85% of people who become infected with Hepatitis C, it becomes a long-term, chronic infection. Chronic Hepatitis C is a serious disease than can result in long-term health problems, even death. The majority of infected persons might not be aware of their infection because they are not clinically ill. There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C. The best way to prevent Hepatitis C is by avoiding behaviors that can spread the disease, especially injecting drugs.

How is HCV transmitted? HCV is transmitted primarily through large or repeated percutaneous (i. e. , passage through the skin) exposures to infectious blood, such as Injection drug use (currently the most common means of HCV transmission in the United States) Receipt of donated blood, blood products, and organs (once a common means of transmission but now rare in the United States since blood screening became available in 1992) Needle stick injuries in health care settings Birth to an HCV-infected mother.

HCV can also be spread infrequently through Sex with an HCV-infected person (an inefficient means of transmission) Sharing personal items contaminated with infectious blood, such as razors or toothbrushes. Other health care procedures that involve invasive procedures, such as injections.

What are the signs and symptoms of acute HCV infection? Persons with newly acquired HCV infection usually are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms that are unlikely to prompt a visit to a health care professional. When symptoms occur, they can include: Fever, Fatigue, Loss of appetite, Nausea, Vomiting, Abdominal pain, Dark urine, Clay -colored bowel movements, Joint pain, Jaundice.

How is hepatitis C diagnosed? There a number of diagnostic tests for hepatitis C, including HCV antibody enzyme immunoassay or ELISA, quantitative HCV RNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR). HCV RNA can be detected by PCR typically one to two weeks after infection, while antibodies can take substantially longer to form and thus be detected. Chronic hepatitis C is defined as infection with the hepatitis C virus persisting for more than six months based on the presence of its RNA.

Hepatitis D, also known as "delta hepatitis, " is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis D virus (HDV). The genome of HDV consists of single-stranded, circular, negative-sense RNA, 1. 7 kb in size. It is the smallest of known human pathogens. In blood, HDV (delta agent) contains delta-Ag (HDAg) surrounded by an HBs. Ag envelope. Hepatitis D only occurs among people who are infected with the Hepatitis B virus because HDV is an incomplete virus that requires the helper function of HBV to replicate. Hepatitis D is transmitted through percutaneous or mucosal contact with infectious blood.

There are two important terms to describe its dependence on HBV. Co-infection is when HDV infects a person at the same time as HBV. Superinfection is when HDV infects a person who is a chronic carrier of HBV. There is no vaccine for Hepatitis D, but it can be prevented in persons who are not already HBV-infected by Hepatitis B vaccination.

Hepatitis E is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis E virus (HEV) with positive-sense, single-stranded RNA 7. 2 kb in size. Hepatitis E is a self-limited disease that does not result in chronic infection. Hepatitis E is common in many parts of the world. It is transmitted from ingestion of fecal matter, even in microscopic amounts, and is usually associated with contaminated water supply in countries with poor sanitation. There is currently no FDAapproved vaccine for Hepatitis E. How is the Hepatitis E virus spread? Hepatitis E virus is usually spread by the fecaloral route. The most common source of HEV infection is fecally contaminated drinking water.

What are the signs and symptoms of Hepatitis E? When they occur, the signs and symptoms of Hepatitis E are similar to those of other types of acute viral hepatitis and can include: Fever, Fatigue, Loss of appetite, Nausea, Vomiting, Abdominal pain, Dark urine, Claycolored bowel movements, Joint pain, Jaundice. How is Hepatitis E diagnosed? Because cases of Hepatitis E are not clinically distinguishable from other types of acute viral hepatitis, diagnosis can be confirmed only by testing for the presence of antibody against HEV or HEV RNA.

Hepatit HAV is A Anti-HAV Ig. M anti. HAV Hepatit HBV is B HBs. Ag Hepatitis A virus. Etiologic agent of infectious hepatitis. A picornavirus, the prototype of genus Hepatovirus Antibody to HAV. Detectable at onset of symptoms; lifetime persistence Ig. M class antibody to HAV. Indicates recent infection with hepatitis A; positive result up to 4– 6 months after infection Hepatitis B virus. Etiologic agent of serum hepatitis. A hepadnavirus Hepatitis B surface antigen. Surface antigen(s) of HBV detectable in large quantity in serum; several subtypes identified HBe. Ag Hepatitis B e antigen. Associated with HBV nucleocapsid; indicates viral replication; circulates as soluble antigen in serum HBc. Ag Hepatitis B core antigen Anti-HBs Antibody to HBs. Ag. Indicates past infection with and immunity to HBV, presence of passive antibody from HBIG, or immune response from HBV vaccine Anti-HBe Antibody to HBe. Ag. Presence in serum of HBV carrier suggests lower titer of HBV Anti-HBc Antibody to HBc. Ag. Indicates infection with HBV at some undefined time in the past Ig. M anti- Ig. M class antibody to HBc. Ag. Indicates recent infection with HBV; HBc positive result for 4– 6 months after infection Hepatit HCV Hepatitis C virus, a common etiologic agent of posttransfusion is C hepatitis. A flavivirus, genus Hepacivirus Anti-HCV Antibody to HCV Hepatit HDV Hepatitis D virus. Etiologic agent of delta hepatitis; causes infection is D only in presence of HBV HDAg Delta antigen (delta-Ag). Detectable in early acute HDV infection Nomenclature and Definitions of Hepatitis Viruses, Antigens, and Antibodies Anti-HD Antibody to delta-Ag (anti-delta). Indicates past or present infection