Heather Ainsley
news@greenepublishing.com
Did you know that over 1.5 million people die every year from hepatitis? While you may have heard warnings throughout your life about the importance of avoiding this disease, you may not have been given all the facts you need on what it is or how it spreads. What is hepatitis, and where does it come from? July 28 is World Hepatitis Day, and there's no better time than now to learn more about this globally-impacting condition.
Hepatitis is just a word meaning inflammation of the liver. The liver is the organ that is essential in processing nutrients, filtering the blood and fighting infections in the human body. When the liver undergoes strain, as it does when you get hepatitis, this damage can significantly impact these vital functions. A human being can only survive for one or two days if our liver completely shuts down, making it an extremely important organ. While hepatitis is most commonly caused by a virus, it can also be caused by heavy alcohol use, toxins, medications and certain medical conditions. In the United States, the most common types of viral hepatitis are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
Hepatitis A is responsible for about 24,900 new infections each year, although it typically does not cause chronic infection and has no complications. The virus associated with Hepatitis A is found in the stool and blood of infected persons, and is spread when an uninfected person ingests the virus. This can happen through close, personal contact with an infected person, such as sexual contact, caring for someone who is ill, using drugs and sharing infected equipment, or it can occur through the contamination of food at any stage in the growing process, including after cooking. It can also occur through the contamination of water. This virus is very contagious, and can easily be spread before a person realizes they are sick. The spread of this virus has been dramatically decreased by the development of a vaccine, which was first recommended in 1996, and has proven effective in preventing transmission.
Hepatitis B is considered a global public health threat, and is the world's most common serious liver infection. It is up to 100 times more infectious than the HIV-AIDS virus, and is known to be the primary cause of liver cancer, which is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths around the world. It is estimated that two billion people have been infected with the Hepatitis B virus, which equates to about one in every three people. According to The Hepatitis B Foundation, approximately two people die each minute from Hepatitis B. This virus is transmitted when blood, semen or other bodily fluids from an infected person enter the body of someone who is not infected. This can happen through sexual contact, sharing drug equipment such as needles, syringes or other drug-injection tools, or from mother to baby at birth. While a vaccine can help prevent contracting Hepatitis B, there is no cure if you have the condition. This infection does respond well to treatment, although Hepatitis B is known as the “silent epidemic,” because most people do not have symptoms when they are newly affected, or even chronically infected, and can continue to spread the virus to others without knowing. For those who are chronically infected but show no symptoms, their livers are still suffering silent damage, which can develop into serious liver disease, like cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Hepatitis C is spread primarily through blood. Today, most people who become infected with Hepatitis C are infected by needles or other drug-injecting materials. While some people may suffer only a short-term illness due to a Hepatitis C infection, more than half of all the people infected suffer a long-term, chronic infection. There is a strong correlation between the contraction of Hepatitis C and HIV. In fact, nearly 75 percent of people who live with HIV who report a history of injection drug use are also co-infected with Hepatitis C. Due to the impact that HIV has on the immune system, those who live with HIV are at greater risk of complication and even death from hepatitis infection. Fortunately, direct acting antiviral treatments are highly effective for both people with and without HIV infection. While it is rare, Hepatitis C can sometimes be transmitted in healthcare facilities via accidental needle sticks and from breaches in infection control protocol within the facility. Not all people who become infected with Hepatitis C are involved in drug use. Transmission can also spread via unregulated tattoos or body piercings, and sharing personal items that may be contaminated with infected blood, even in amounts that are too small to see. Less common but still possible, is the transmission between sexual partners.
A high percentage of people with chronic hepatitis are unaware of their infection. The only way to discover if you have an infection is to get tested through a simple blood test. An early diagnosis is a key element in preventing the onset of liver cancer and disease. In spite of the presence of effective treatment and preventative vaccines, the numbers of hepatitis-related deaths is increasing each year. You can reduce the risk of spreading hepatitis by:
• Getting vaccinated.
• Washing your hands thoroughly after using the restroom and whenever you come into contact with an infected person's bodily fluids. If you aren't sure that someone is not infected, assume they are, and wash your hands accordingly.
• Avoid consuming unclean food and water. Especially when traveling, all fruit and vegetables should be washed and peeled personally, and uncertain water should be boiled on high for a minimum of a full minute.
• If you have been exposed, or are in a place of work or a lifestyle that puts you at risk of exposure, talk to your health care provider about receiving a Hepatitis A or B immune globulin shot.
• Avoid sharing personal items such as razors or toothbrushes. Do not share recreational drug needles or other equipment.
• Do not eat raw or undercooked meat or seafood.
• Clean blood spills with a solution of one part household bleach to nine parts water. Get tattoos and piercings from reputable sources. Clean and cover all wounds, even if you are not infected.
• Practice safe sex, and communicate with the people in your life.
Symptoms of hepatitis include fatigue, fever, nausea, joint pain, jaundice, dark urine, light-colored stool, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and vomiting. The absence of these symptoms does not guarantee a lack of infection. If you have been exposed to someone with the virus, get tested.
This month, in recognition of World Hepatitis Day, avoid the stigma surrounding hepatitis, and do your part to not only prevent the spread of infection in your community, but increase awareness and understanding about these viruses. You need your liver. Take care of it.