You may have come across billboards that urge you to opt for Hepatitis vaccines, and other posters that list out the harmful effects that the disease can cause. In case you have no idea why hepatitis and its treatment modes are the current buzz, you need to learn some quick pointers about the many types of hepatitis and their effects on the human body.
There are different types of the hepatitis virus, and they can broadly be divided into hepatitis A, B and C. These viruses are particularly dangerous because they all target the liver and cause swelling in the organ. The liver is responsible for keeping the body stable by removing all forms of toxins. The liver also helps in protein synthesis, so it is a vital organ that should be well maintained and taken care of.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A causes inflammation in the human liver and it also brings about swelling and irritation. This virus can be found in the blood and stool of an infected person, and there are many causes and risk factors behind this disease:
- You can catch Hepatitis A if you eat/drink contaminated food or water, that is, food items and water with the hepatitis A virus
- Hepatitis A can be transferred from an infected person to a healthy individual through sexual practices that involve anal and oral contact
- Infected people who don't wash their hands properly are likely to be infected by this disease
- Intravenous drug users are prone to hepatitis A infection
- People working in the sewage industry are prone to hepatitis A infection, and also people who work in the food and health care industries
- People working in rehabilitation centers and nursing homes are frequently exposed to this disease
Symptoms of Hepatitis A
The symptoms involved with this infection include yellow skin, pale stools, vomiting and nausea, low grade fever, loss of appetite, itching, fatigue and dark colored urine. These symptoms normally start showing after a period of two to six weeks from the time of infection. The symptoms are mild and last for many months at a stretch.
Treatment for Hepatitis A
There is no known treatment for this disease, and people suffering from hepatitis A are generally advised to take adequate rest. Because the liver is affected, patients suffering from hepatitis A must avoid alcohol and fatty food items.
Hepatitis B
This disease also causes the liver to swell up and damages the organ. This type of hepatitis is primarily transmitted through sexual contact and through the exchange of bodily fluids like semen, blood, and vaginal fluids. The disease is transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person through:
- Sexual contact of all kinds, including oral, anal and vaginal contact
- Blood transfusions from an affected person to a normal person
- Direct contact with the blood of an affected person
- Using instruments and needles that are unclean for tattooing
- Using drugs frequently through shared needles
- Sharing clippers, razors and toothbrushes with an affected individual
- Homosexual activities and having many sexual partners
- Being born to parents with hepatitis
Symptoms of Hepatitis B
The main symptoms of this disease include high fever, yellow skin (caused due to liver problems), fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting and nausea and joint pains and muscle pains. These symptoms start showing only after a period of six months.
Treatment for Hepatitis B
Patients with hepatitis B are advised to drink lots of fluids and take adequate rest. They are given antiviral medications which can bring down their risk of contracting liver cancer and other liver related diseases. Liver transplants are the only way through which critical patients can function normally.
Hepatitis C
This is another type of hepatitis which attacks the liver. This disease is mainly transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids.
- Sexual contact with an infected person can cause hepatitis C
- Sharing needles and other items like razors with infected people can cause hepatitis C
- Blood transfusion from an infected person can cause hepatitis C
- Being born to an infected mother can also cause hepatitis C
Symptoms and Treatment for Hepatitis C
The symptoms are the same for this type of hepatitis and common symptoms include fatigue, dark colored urine, abdominal pain and fever, vomiting and nausea, clay colored stools and a general loss of appetite.
Long term HCV (Hepatitis C Virus) infection can cause liver cancer and cirrhosis, so the disease should be identified at an early stage and treated with medications like ribavirin and pegylated interferon alfa.
These medicines can cause side effects like nausea, headaches, anemia and depression, but they can help in effectively removing the virus from the patient's body.
You can prevent such infections by following safe sex practices and by avoiding sharing your personal items with strangers.
