Hepatitis

By John

What is Hepatitis?

• Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver.

• Hepatitis is also a group of infections that damages the liver.

• There are 3 types of hepatitis:– Hepatitis A– Hepatitis B– Hepatitis C

Main Causes of Hepatitis

• Viruses, bacteria, or parasites infections.

• Liver damage caused by alcoholic substances or poisonous substances.

• Overdosing medications.

Other Causes of Hepatitis

• Systemic lupus erythematosus.

• Rheumatoid arthritis.

• Sjögren syndrome.

• Scleroderma.

• Inflammatory bowel disease.

• Glomerulonephritis.

• Hemolytic anemia.

Risk Factors

• Drug use.• Eating foods that are contaminated.• Traveling to areas where hepatitis is common.• Abusing alcohol.• Receive a organ transplant.• Receiving blood before 1990.• Getting a tattoo.• Having AIDS or HIV.

Symptoms

• Fever.• Weight loss.• Nausea. • Excessive vomiting.• Losing your appetite. • Yellowing of skin and eyes.• Severe itching.• Being tired.

Tests

• Liver function tests.

• Liver biopsy test.

• Hepatitis virus serologies.

• Abdominal ultrasound tests.

• Autoimmune blood markers.

• Paracentesis tests.

Prevention

• Vaccines for type A and type B.• Immunoglobulin shots.• Don’t share razors, needles, or toothbrushes.• Don’t eat uncooked or partially cooked foods when

traveling to a endemic area.• Don’t use recreational IV drugs. • Avoid using eating utensils with someone that has

hepatitis A.• Wash hands before and after handling food.

Interesting Facts

• About 1.2 million people in the US have chronic hepatitis B.

• About 3.2 million people in the US have chronic hepatitis C.

• About 85000 people are infected with hepatitis each year.

Websites Used

http://www.cdc.gov/HEPATITIS/

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001154.htm