Weekly Wellness - Hepatitis A, B and C

Since it seems there are a lot of questions out there about the various liver diseases, I will include current events, updates and facts about different liver diseases. If you or someone you know has symptoms of liver disease, you should contact your physician immediately. As requested – here is some information regarding Hepatitis A, B and C. There are other forms of hepatitis, however they are much less common in the US.

The following information about Hepatitis comes from the American Liver Foundation. Information on Hepatitis can also be found on the Center for Disease Control website too.

What causes hepatitis A? Most cases of hepatitis A are caused by consuming food or water contaminated with fecal matter that contains the virus. Common causes of transmission include: Poor personal hygiene among people involved in food or meal preparation; Eating raw or undercooked shellfish that came from waters polluted by sewage; Failure to wash hands after changing a diaper or after using the bathroom.

What causes hepatitis B? The hepatitis B virus passes from one person to another through body fluids, such as blood, semen and vaginal secretions. The hepatitis B virus can be spread from a mother to her child during birth. Other common causes of transmission include: Sexual contact; Sharing needles among intravenous drug users; Sharing razors, toothbrushes or nail clippers; Being exposed to wounds, blood, or secretions from infected persons.

What causes hepatitis C? You can get hepatitis C if your blood comes into contact with blood from someone who already has the virus. The most common cause of transmission is the sharing of needles and other equipment used to inject illegal drugs. Less common causes of transmission include: Sharing a razor, toothbrush or nail clipper with an infected person; Accidental exposure to infected blood among health care or public safety workers; Exposure to unclean tattooing or body-piercing instruments; Unprotected anal sex or exposure to multiple sex partners; In rare cases, hepatitis C can be spread from an infected mother to her child at birth. It cannot be spread by breast-feeding. Before 1992 there was a risk of getting hepatitis C from blood transfusions. Now all donated blood is tested for HCV so there is almost no risk of getting the disease from blood transfusions.