Hepatitis The Liver Disease Essay Research Paper

Hepatitis, The Liver Disease Essay, Research Paper

Hepatitis, the Liver DiseaseWhat is Hepatitis.Hepatitis in simple words, is an inflammation of the liver. Different things cause the different types of hepatitis, but they all produce inflammation of the liver. Viral hepatitis refers to several common contagious diseases caused by viruses that attack the liver. The most important types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Newly discovered forms of viral hepatitis also include hepatitis D, E, and G. Toxic agents, that is drugs or chemicals, can cause non-viral forms of hepatitis, alcohol, or auto-immune processes. Another form of hepatitis is toxic hepatitis. Viruses or liver damage due to toxic substances can cause toxic hepatitis. Toxic hepatitis is a deterioration of the liver cells caused by chemicals, alcohol, drugs, and industrial compounds. Alcohol abuse is a common cause of toxic liver damage. Study of hepatitis is still under way, but as far as we are concerned we will only take a close look at three types of Hepatitis in this report: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C.HEPATITIS AHepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. Hepatitis A can affect anyone. In the United States, hepatitis A can occur in situations ranging from isolated cases of disease to widespread epidemics. Good personal hygiene and proper sanitation can help prevent hepatitis A. Vaccines are also available for long-term prevention of hepatitis A virus infection in persons of two years of age and older. Immune globulin is available for short-term prevention of hepatitis A virus infection in all ages.Persons with hepatitis A virus infection may not have any signs or symptoms of the disease. Older persons are more likely to have symptoms than children are. If symptoms are present, they usually occur abruptly and may include fever, tiredness, and loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, and jaundice, yellowing of the skin and eyes. Symptoms usually last less than 2 months; a few persons are ill for as long as 6 months. The average incubation period for hepatitis A is 28 days (range: 15-50 days). Hepatitis A virus is spread from person to person by putting something in the mouth that has been contaminated with the stool of a person with hepatitis A. This type of transmission is called “fecal-oral.” For this reason, the virus is more easily spread in areas where there are poor sanitary conditions or where good personal hygiene is not observed. Most infections result from contact with a household member or sex partner who has hepatitis A. Casual contact, as in the usual office, factory, or school setting, does not spread the virus.Hepatitis a is diagnosed through a blood test, using IgM anti-HAV, immune globulin that is hostile to the Hepatitis A virus. Children with hepatitis A usually have no symptoms. Adults may become quite ill suddenly, experiencing jaundice, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine/light stools, and fever. The incubation period averages 30 days, however, an infected individual can transmit the virus to others as early as two weeks before symptoms appear and one week after. Symptoms will disappear over a six-month period until complete recovery occurs. Nevertheless complications may occur if no actions are taken, these include fulminant hepatitis or relapse of the disease.In the battle against hepatitis and in an effort to prevent its spread two products are available. A virus infection: immune globulin and hepatitis A vaccine.+ Immune globulin is a preparation of antibodies that can be given before exposure for short-term protection against hepatitis A and for persons who have already been exposed to hepatitis A virus. Immune globulin must be given within 2 weeks after exposure to hepatitis A virus for maximum protection.+ Hepatitis A vaccine has been licensed in the United States for use in people’ 2 years of age and older. The vaccine is recommended (before exposure to hepatitis A virus) for persons who are more likely to get hepatitis A virus infection or are more likely to get seriously ill if they do get hepatitis A. The vaccines currently licensed in the United States are HAVRIX manufactured by SmithKline Beecham Biologicals, and VAQTA, which is manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc.Often people wonder if such type of vaccines and prevention techniques are safe and their side effects. Well so far hepatitis A vaccine has had an excellent safety profile. No serious adverse events have been attributed definitively to hepatitis A vaccine. Soreness at the injection site is the most frequently reported side effect. Immune globulin is also determined very safe. No instance of transmission of HIV or other viruses has been observed with the use of immune globulin administered by the intra-muscular route. Immune globulin can be administered during pregnancy and breast-feeding. It should be noted though that protection against hepatitis A only begins four weeks after the first dose of hepatitis A vaccine.HEPATITIS BHepatitis B is also a serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the liver. The virus, which is called hepatitis B virus (HBV), can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death. Hepatitis B vaccine is available for all age groups to prevent hepatitis B virus infection. Hepatitis B can affect anyone. Each year in the United States, more than 200,000