Treatment for hepatitis A includes close medical monitoring and bed rest
By: Gary P. Forester, M.D. in collaboration with Gloria N. Beck
A recent outbreak of hepatitis A in the community made headlines and raised concerns about this disease how it’s transmitted and what can be done to protect against it.
Hepatitis, an infection of the liver, can be caused by several viruses, which produce different forms of the infection. The three most common are hepatitis A, B and C; there are also several lesser-known forms that are rarely found in this country.
Each type of hepatitis has unique modes of transmission, varying degrees of illness and a different health impact.
Simple blood tests can diagnose each form of the disease.
Hepatitis A (HAV), caused by a virus that resides in human feces, is passed through contaminated food and water. This highly infectious disease can be easily passed to others. Raw or undercooked shellfish harvested from contaminated waters can also harbor the virus. Even unwashed fruits and vegetables can sometimes spread the infection.
HAV is considered the least threatening type of hepatitis because it rarely becomes chronic. Typically, many of the approximately 150,000 Americans infected each year recover with no residual liver damage. Still, HAV can make victims quite sick with symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea, appetite loss and jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin and eyes that can last from several weeks to as long as six months. Occasionally, the illness is so severe it can be life-threatening.
Treatment for hepatitis A includes close medical monitoring and bed rest as the disease runs its course.
Hepatitis B (HBV) is caused by a virus found in blood and body fluids, and is a more serious form of the disease. HBV is spread most often through unprotected sex or from mother to baby during childbirth. Intravenous drug use, needle sticks, blood transfusions and hemodialysis are also culprits in the transmission of HBV. Unsanitary conditions during tattooing, body piercing and acupuncture treatments can also pose a threat.
HBV is more dangerous than hepatitis A because it can become chronic and result in permanent liver damage. Of the 128,000 to 320,000 Americans infected with hepatitis B each year, about 5 to 10 percent will develop chronic HBV. This can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver cancer, liver failure and subsequent death. While not all of the 1 million people currently infected with HBV are symptomatic, they are all capable of transmitting the virus to others.
Patients diagnosed with active HBV those who are experiencing symptoms and show signs of liver damage are treated with powerful antiviral medications that have proven successful in suppressing HBV and its complications.
The most serious form of hepatitis hepatitis C (HCV) is considered an epidemic in this country. As many as 80 percent of those infected develop chronic liver disease and associated health problems. In fact, HCV is the most common reason for liver transplants in this country.
Spread through contaminated blood and blood products, but not typically through sexual contact, HCV rarely produces symptoms upon infection. Infected individuals often live symptom-free for as long as 20 years before signs of the illness become apparent long after significant damage to the liver has occurred.
According to the CDC, approximately 290,000 Americans contracted the virus from blood transfusions given prior to 1992, when new and more advanced screening of the nation’s blood supply went into effect. Since 1992, transfusion-related cases have been very rare.
In the United States, as many as 70 percent of the 4 million people infected with hepatitis C are unaware they have the disease. HCV is responsible for 8,000 to 10,000 deaths per year. That number is expected to triple within the next 20 years as patients who contracted the disease in the ’70s and ’80s begin to succumb to chronic liver disease.
New treatment protocols provide renewed hope for HCV patients once considered incurable.
Treatment for patients with active hepatitis C disease and subsequent liver damage include combinations of Interferon and Ribavirin two strong antiviral medications. This treatment protocol has proven successful at suppressing the virus and now offers patients a cure rate of 60 percent or better. Those who received a blood transfusion or organ donation prior to 1992 or have injected illegal drugs should be tested for HCV.
There are vaccines available to protect people against hepatitis A and B. Today, all newborns in the United States are routinely vaccinated against hepatitis B.
Avoiding behaviors such as unprotected sex or intravenous drug use can reduce risk for this disease. Always wash fruits and vegetables, avoid raw shellfish and thoroughly wash hands before handling food and after using the bathroom. Hepatitis infections can be serious, but knowing the risks can help protect against the disease.
If exposure to hepatitis is suspected and symptoms have not yet appeared, a diagnosis can be made from a simple blood test. Early diagnosis and treatment may prevent liver damage.
For more information or to seek treatment by a University Medical Center at Princeton physician, call (888) 742-7496

