Is Hepatitis a Threat to You?
What is hepatitis? Hepatitis is a virus that often causes inflammation of the liver. The liver is a large and substantial organ located in the lower right section of the abdomen in vertebrates. It is a key component in many metabolic processes: breaking down nutrients, filtering the blood, and fighting infections. Many people believe that the liver’s main function is to clean and filter. When this organ becomes inflamed or injured, its overall function can be affected.
Are there different types of hepatitis? Yes, there are many different varieties, but there are three major types of hepatitis that are most commonly found in the United States: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Hepatitis C (hep C) is the most commonly found type. There are nearly two and a half million cases of hep C in the United States with a growing number of 41,000 new cases per year. Hepatitis B (hep B) is the second most commonly seen type. There are approximately 850,000 living cases of hep B in the United states with about 20,000 new cases a year. Last but not least, hepatitis A (hep A), affects about 4,000 new people each year in the United States.
What causes hepatitis? Substantial alcohol consumption, intravenous drugs, excessive toxins, birth – a result of an infected mother passing the virus to a newborn baby, some medications, unprotected sexual intercourse, contaminated water containing fecal matter, and certain medical conditions can cause hepatitis. Prior to 1992 blood transfusions put the patient at risk for hep C prior to strict screening. Bad infection prevention and poor contamination control in health care facilities is another common way Hep B and C are spread.
Is there a cure for hepatitis? Hepatitis A has a treatment plan and is not a lifelong illness. Treatment typically lasts a couple of weeks to many months. Hepatitis B does not have a specific medication designated for treatment. Hep B can be a very simple illness, but also has the potential to be a very serious and life-threatening condition. Hep B has the capability of developing into liver cancer or liver failure. Hepatitis C is similar to hep B, as it can range from a minor illness that will only last a few weeks, to a very serious illness that could last a lifetime. Most people who get infected with the hepatitis C virus develop chronic hepatitis C. Prevention is key when it comes to hep A and hep B which may be accomplished through an available vaccination. Your primary care physician can help guide you on whether or not you or your family needs to be vaccinated.
Who should get tested for hepatitis? There is currently not a routine test for hepatitis A, however your primary care doctor may recommend screening. Drug users, HIV patients, hep C patients, pregnant women, babies born in a country with a higher hep B virus outbreak, and people that are exposed to the virus through sexual intercourse are recommended for hep B testing. The CDC recommends that the following individuals get tested for hep C: current or former drug users, anyone born between 1945 and 1965, blood transfusion recipients, unregulated tattoo recipients, clotting factor concentrate recipients, long term hemodialysis patients, HIV patients, and children born to mothers with hep c.
Countless individuals infected with the hepatitis virus do not show symptoms and often do not realize that they are infected. Symptoms can often occur with an acute infection and can appear anytime from 2 weeks to 6 months after exposure. Symptoms of chronic viral hepatitis can take decades to develop. Indications of hepatitis can include: fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, light-colored stools, joint pain, and jaundice.
Contact Dr. Dharia and his team at Palm Beach Internal Medicine to schedule your appointment for a hepatitis screening or consultation.