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Hepatitis Hepatitis
is a type of Liver
disease. Most commonly caused by viral infections which are of
different types – Hepatitis A virus, B virus, Delta virus, C virus,
Non-A, Non –B virus, Cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Bar virus, Herpes
simplex virus, Yellow fever virus. Hepatitis
A virus Is
highly infectious. Spreads by faeco oral route. Poor sanitation aids
in its spread. In occasional out breaks water, milk, and shellfish has
been the source of spread. In this form a carrier state does not
exist. The disease is usually mid as compared to Hepatitis B
infection. Hepatitis
B virus In this type of hepatitis the main source of infection is blood, and the spread my follow transfusion of infected blood or blood products or infection with contaminated needles. Tattooing and acupuncture can also spread this disease. Close personal contacts such as sexual intercourse and specially in the homosexuals is also an important cause of infection. It can be also spread to child from mother at or soon after birth. Hepatitis B vaccines are available to protect against this infection. This vaccine is ineffective in those already infected with this disease. Vaccination against Hepatitis B forms part of compulsory vaccination of infants in the first year of life. Three doses are needed at 0, 1 and 6 months interval. Hepatitis B infected individuals carry this infection throughout life. Some are just carriers without having any symptoms of any illness. Some may have acute illness and some develop chronic liver diseases. These persons are at a much high risk of developing Liver cancer in later life. Delta virus The delta virus is an RNA containing partial virus which has no independent existence. It requires the hepatitis B virus for replication and has the same source and mode of spread. It causes progressive chronic hepatitis and eventually cirrhosis. Non-A, Non-B, C and E viruses Non-A, Non-B and C hepatitis is caused by several viruses. The mode of transmission in humans is similar to those of hepatitis B virus. In developed countries Non-A and Non-B & C hepatitis is now cause of 90 % of the post transfusion hepatitis. It can also be spread by other blood products. Hepatitis E virus is an enterically transmitted virus that occurs primarily in India, Asia, Africa, and Central America. This agent, has epidemiologic features resembling those of hepatitis A. The virus has been detected in stool, bile, and liver from infected patients as well as from experimentally infected nonhuman primates. Studies in humans and experimental animals have shown that HEV is excreted in the stool during the late incubation period. The commonly recognized cases occur after contamination of water supplies such as after monsoon flooding. An epidemiologic feature that distinguishes HEV from other enteric agents is the rarity of secondary person-to-person spread from infected persons to their close contacts. In outbreaks of waterborne hepatitis E in India and Asia, the case-fatality rate is 1 to 2 percent and up to 10 to 20 percent in pregnant women. The most feared complication of viral hepatitis is fulminant hepatitis (massive hepatic necrosis).
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