Explaining Hepatitis

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Good Morning!

 

Explaining Hepatitis

 

Hep B is a blood born and sexually transmitted liver disease caused

by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). HBV is spread much like HIV, the

virus that causes AIDS. HBV, however, is

easier to catch than HIV because it is over 100 times more

concentrated in an infected person's blood and it can exist on

surfaces outside the body. Transmission occurs via the inoculation of

blood, blood products or other body fluids ( i.e., semen). High risk

groups include medical personnel, male homosexuals, and dialysis

patients. The disease symptoms follow a long incubation period and

presents with an insidious onset. The symptoms last from 2-12 weeks

although subclinical infections can occur. 10% of the cases go on to

a chronic state. In addition, 0.1-1% of the U.S. population are

asymptomatic carriers of HBV and 8-10% are AB positive.

 

 

Hepatitis B vaccination is a six month process. It is one shot a

month for 2 months and then you wait 4 months to take the last shot.

 

Hepatitis A and hepatitis C are different diseases caused by

different viruses. Hepatitis A occurs often from contaminated food.

There is a vaccine for hepatitis A. Often you can receive the hep A

and hep B vaccine together. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C.

 

Non-A/Non-B Hepatitis (NANB)

 

This disease is probably two different conditions caused by two

different viruses (implied by patterns of incubation and symptoms).

The causative agent is possibly a retrovirus. 90% of post-transfusion

hepatitis cases are due to NANB. HBV is less common since blood

screening is able to detect contaminated blood. NANB is responsible

for about 20-30% of sporadic cases of hepatitis. Endemic and epidemic

NANB can occur. Symptoms follow a long incubation period (2-26 wk)

and present with an insidious onset. Most cases are without jaundice

(anicteric). There is a strong predilection for chronicity and a

carrier state does exist although there is no current means for its

identification.

 

The transmission is similar to HBV and fecal-oral spread has not been

documented. While all forms of hepatitis show an increase in SGPT

(alanine amino transferase) and SGOT, Acute NANB classically produces

a pattern of fluctuating enzyme elevation, i.e., remissions and

exacerbations.

 

 

Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac.

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