Hepatitis is a serious illness that most commonly affects adults over the age of 40 years old. It can occur in teenagers and children too, but this is generally more rare. Because it stems from a highly-contagious virus, it is crucial that all people who are at risk for contracting it, or who might already have it, read the following information about what the types of hepatitis are, what symptoms it causes, and how it can be prevented.
Types of Hepatitis
There are three basic types of hepatitis. The first one is hepatitis A, which is the rarest form of the disease. It often stems from living in unsanitary conditions that cause the virus to get into a person's food or water supply. Luckily, this form of hepatitis resolves on its own within a matter of weeks if a person has a strong enough immune system. The next type of this disease is hepatitis B. It is spread through sexual contact or someone being exposed to another person's infected bodily fluids. Hepatitis B has to be treated with special medications that can only be prescribed by a doctor. Hepatitis C is different because it is a blood-borne virus. Most people get it from sharing needles with an infected person. However, pregnant women can also pass it on to their unborn babies because they share the
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same blood supply until the infant is born. The Symptoms of Hepatitis The first most noticeable symptom of any form of Hepatitis is that the white part of the eyes turns yellow.
This occurs because of the damage that the disease does to the liver. As the organ becomes inflamed, it cannot effectively remove waste from the body anymore. So the skin will start to take on a yellow hue as well. Then, other more disturbing symptoms will begin, such as vomiting, nausea, and a loss of appetite. The liver damage will also lead to discoloration of the stools, which can be identified by their sudden white or pale yellow appearance. If the disease is left to progress, it will attack other parts of the body, which leads to severe fatigue, swollen blood vessels, and even internal
bleeding. Preventing Hepatitis More often than not, all forms of hepatitis can be prevented by using some easy, common sense methods. First of all, the home where a person lives needs to be kept clean, especially the bathroom and kitchen areas. That is because these two rooms often have the highest amount of bacteria and viruses in them. Any time that a person has to go into a residence that is unsanitary, they should wear gloves and avoid eating or drinking anything from there. Protection during all forms of sexual contact is important too. And so is wearing gloves and masks when working with patients that could have the condition. Lastly, it is crucial that needles used for medications or tattoos are never shared between people. As you can see, hepatitis is a serious disease that can make a person very sick. So it is crucial that anyone who has the above mentioned symptoms get treatment right away. It is also important to mention that hepatitis can often lie dormant in the body for years, which makes it virtually impossible for a person to know that they have it without being tested for it. So if you or someone you know may have been exposed to any form of hepatitis, let your doctor know right away.
1. Outline the causes, incidence and risk factors of the identified disease and how it can impact on the patient and family (450 words)
Hepatitis A is a usually short acting virus that occurs in humans and monkeys. It is caused by the Hepatovirus and the species is Hepatitis A Virus. There are two major ways in which Hepatitis A can be transmitted. One way is from person to person. This transmission occurs when the fecal matter of an infected person gets ingested by another person. Other ways Hepatitis A can be transmitted from person to person are through direct contact with an infected person, such as sexual contact, and sharing of needles for intravenous drug use. Hepatitis A can also be transmitted through coming in contact with contaminated food or water. Also foods that are uncooked or undercooked and have been contaminated with Hepatitis A can transmit the virus. (Bennett,
Two of the most significant bloodborne pathogens are HBV (Hepatitis B Virus) and HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). Some of the other bloodborne pathogens include Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D, and Syphilis. These are less significant and not as life threatening as the two listed above.
HSV-1 is spread through saliva and direct contact, such as kissing, sharing eating utensils, sharing drinks or sharing personal items. Children often contract the virus from kissing their parents and coming in contact with other children. HSV-2 is spread through sexual intercourse. HSV must be transported through bodily fluids (saliva, pus, semen, vaginal fluid) to infect cells.3 The virus is transmitted through the mucosal linings of the body or through an open wound and has an incubation period of 2-12 days.4
There are not many ways for a person to contract valley fever. One way to contract valley fever is inhaling the fungus that causes it or Coccidioides immitis. It can also be contracted through cuts on the body. Valley fever can not be contracted from other people. The infection is not contagious. There are some factors that can cause certain people to have a greater risk of getting the infection though. For example certain races, pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems and older aged people have a greater risk.
Hepatitis is the inflammation or swelling of the liver. The inflammation can happen from different injuries or viral forms of a disease. People who experience hepatitis have the symptoms of malaise, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fever and jaundice. There are six known forms of Hepatitis which are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D, Hepatitis E and Hepatitis G. The presence of hepatitis in the body can be very risky and cause severe death if not taken care of. Hepatitis is a severe issue that affect many people around the world like third world countries and cross contamination can occur mainly in health care places due to the exposure of patients with the disease and accidents handling blood or instruments, Hepatitis A,B,C,D,E and G are distinct diseases that differ in transmission and vaccines to prevent them or cure them.
Pathogens are a type of microorganism that spreads viral and bacterial diseases. These diseases when present in human blood and body fluids are known as blood borne pathogens, and can spread from one person to another. (Worcester polytechnic institute) The most serious types of blood borne diseases are the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), which can cause liver damage; and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), which is responsible for causing AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). The blood borne pathogens can be spread when the blood or body fluids (semen, vaginal fluid, breast milk, and amniotic fluid) of an infected individual comes into contact with mucous membranes or an open sore or cut on the skin of another person. Mucus membranes are located in the eyes, nose, mouth, and other areas as well. ("Bloodborne pathogens: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia") Two of the most common ways that pathogens are transmitted is through the exchange of fluids during sexual intercourse or by sharing infected IV needles. (Worcester polytechnic institute)
Hepatitis B is a DNA viral infection that causes damage and inflammation to the liver. It was first discovered in 1965 by Dr. Baruch Blumberg. The HBV virus is very contagious and is even thought to be the most serious form of viral hepatitis and the most common viral infection on Earth. “HBV is 100 times more infectious than HIV.” (Green, 2002, pg. 7) The virus can survive for about one week outside the body on a dry surface. According to Green (2002, pg. 7), “One in twenty Americans has been infected with the virus at some point in their lives.” Between the ages of 15-39 is when 75% of new HBV infections occur, according to Green (2002, pg.8).
There is a disease spreading out in the world called Hepatitis C. It affects the liver and may cause the liver to fail. This disease is caused by a virus called Hepatitis C virus which is also known as HCV. About 32,000 people are affected with this disease per year only in the United States area. Some It’s a disease with many symptoms and many causes. of these symptoms are easy bruising, upset stomach and fever. These are just some of the many symptoms that come from the virus. Hepatitis Cs nature of the causative agent is determined by many things. The biological data of this disease is filled so much information. It is estimated that over 180 million people have gotten Hepatitis C and it is growing.
During this time, the most serious symptoms occur. The classic trio of Yellow Fever is Jaundice—yellowing of the skin due to liver failure, black vomit—named because of the presence of blood within the vomit produces a dark black color, and protein in urine which occurs due to kidney malfunction (“Yellow Fever—Timeline”). Hemorrhaging of the internal organs may also occur and lead to large amounts of bleeding. Although only a small number of patients develop symptoms this severe, jaundice (especially if coupled with the other symptoms) is an accurate indicator of death; the fatality rate of Yellow Fever patients with jaundice is 20-50%. The intoxication phase will likely last 3-9 days, and if the patient lives, they will recover after a short period without any lasting complications from their bout with Yellow Fever. Also, after having yellow fever, one will receive full, lifetime immunity to future infection from the disease (“Yellow Fever” Gale
Viruses can be transmitted in many ways. Being in contact with an infected person will most likely transfer the virus. One can also obtain the virus through swallowing, inhaling, and unsafe sex. Poor hygiene and eating habits usually increase the risk of catching a viral infection. Contracting a viral infection is followed by adverse s...
Hepatitis B is only passed through bodily fluids or the sharing of needles. The four most common ways of transmisison is through sexual contact, sharing of needles, accidental needle pricks, or mother to child.
Autoimmune hepatitis may develop after you’re infected with the measles, herpes simplex or Epstein-Barr virus. The disease is also linked to hepatitis A, B or C infection. Evidence suggests that a predisposition to autoimmune hepatitis may run in families. People who already have an autoimmune disease, such as celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis or hyperthyroidism (Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis), may be more likely to develop autoimmune
Hepatitis C is one of the deadly disease in the world. Hepatitis C is caused by Hepatitis C virus that affects