Hepatitis infections dangerous - Hepatitis B is a disease you want to avoid

[Guest guest]

http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2004/112004/11212004/1572715

The Free Lance-Star

Hepatitis infections dangerous

Hepatitis B is a disease you want to avoid

Date published: 11/21/2004

FOR THOSE of you who have never had surgery, a routinely asked question

during the preoperative consent process is whether it's all right to

administer blood if necessary. Almost without fail, the answer is some

variation of, " Is the blood tested for diseases? "

The disease that people are most often concerned about is HIV (which I'll

write more about in the next column). However, hepatitis B is much more

commonly transmitted through blood transfusions than HIV is, and the risk of

transmitting hepatitis C is the same as with HIV.

Since blood is screened for diseases, transmission through blood

transfusions is unlikely. However, hepatitis B is commonly transmitted

through sexual contact. And hepatitis C also can be transmitted through

sexual contact, although this is much less common than with hepatitis B.

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. There are many different types of

hepatitis, but I'll be focusing on hepatitis B, since it is the one that is

most commonly transmitted sexually (and this is one of a series of columns

on sexually transmitted diseases, after all).

Hepatitis B is caused by a virus that infects the liver and is acquired, as

stated previously, either sexually or through exposure to blood. It accounts

for 40 to 45 percent of all cases of hepatitis.

Once a person is infected with the hepatitis B virus, one of two outcomes is

possible. Permanent immunity is the preferred one. This means that the

infected person develops protective antibodies--proteins in the blood that

work to fight off infection and usually last a lifetime--against future

infection. The person is not at risk of permanent liver damage. Eighty-five

to 90 percent of those infected fall into this category.

The less desirable outcome is to become a chronic carrier (accounting for

the other 10 to 15 percent). Chronic carriers can develop cirrhosis of the

liver and even a form of liver cancer. About 4,000 to 5,000 people with

chronic hepatitis die annually.

Hepatitis B can be diagnosed with simple blood tests that check for certain

components of the hepatitis B virus, as well as antibodies to these

components. Early in the infection's course, blood-test values for liver

function may be elevated.

Physical signs and symptoms of the disease may include jaundice (yellowing

of the skin and eyes) and pain in the right upper part of the abdomen just

under the rib cage.

By now you're probably thinking that hepatitis B is something you'd like to

avoid. The good news is that there are effective ways to do just that.

People at high risk for infection with hepatitis B can be vaccinated with a

series of three injections (see info box for risk factors). If exposure

occurs before vaccination, hepatitis B immune globulin, an injection of

preformed antibodies to the virus, can be given in addition to the vaccine.

Also (here goes that broken record again), always wear a condom to help

decrease transmission of all STDs.

Hepatitis B can cause significant problems during pregnancy. The babies of

women with the virus can become infected before or during labor and

delivery. Breast-feeding also can infect the infant, so women with hepatitis

B should not breast-feed.

In this country, all pregnant women are screened for the disease during

prenatal care, and the vaccine and the immune globulin can be given during

pregnancy to those who need it.

Hepatitis B is a potentially devastating disease. If you or someone you love

is at risk of infection, it's important to know about these things you can

do to protect yourself.

Date published: 11/21/2004

[Guest guest]

http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2004/112004/11212004/1572715

The Free Lance-Star

Hepatitis infections dangerous

Hepatitis B is a disease you want to avoid

Date published: 11/21/2004

FOR THOSE of you who have never had surgery, a routinely asked question

during the preoperative consent process is whether it's all right to

administer blood if necessary. Almost without fail, the answer is some

variation of, " Is the blood tested for diseases? "

The disease that people are most often concerned about is HIV (which I'll

write more about in the next column). However, hepatitis B is much more

commonly transmitted through blood transfusions than HIV is, and the risk of

transmitting hepatitis C is the same as with HIV.

Since blood is screened for diseases, transmission through blood

transfusions is unlikely. However, hepatitis B is commonly transmitted

through sexual contact. And hepatitis C also can be transmitted through

sexual contact, although this is much less common than with hepatitis B.

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. There are many different types of

hepatitis, but I'll be focusing on hepatitis B, since it is the one that is

most commonly transmitted sexually (and this is one of a series of columns

on sexually transmitted diseases, after all).

Hepatitis B is caused by a virus that infects the liver and is acquired, as

stated previously, either sexually or through exposure to blood. It accounts

for 40 to 45 percent of all cases of hepatitis.

Once a person is infected with the hepatitis B virus, one of two outcomes is

possible. Permanent immunity is the preferred one. This means that the

infected person develops protective antibodies--proteins in the blood that

work to fight off infection and usually last a lifetime--against future

infection. The person is not at risk of permanent liver damage. Eighty-five

to 90 percent of those infected fall into this category.

The less desirable outcome is to become a chronic carrier (accounting for

the other 10 to 15 percent). Chronic carriers can develop cirrhosis of the

liver and even a form of liver cancer. About 4,000 to 5,000 people with

chronic hepatitis die annually.

Hepatitis B can be diagnosed with simple blood tests that check for certain

components of the hepatitis B virus, as well as antibodies to these

components. Early in the infection's course, blood-test values for liver

function may be elevated.

Physical signs and symptoms of the disease may include jaundice (yellowing

of the skin and eyes) and pain in the right upper part of the abdomen just

under the rib cage.

By now you're probably thinking that hepatitis B is something you'd like to

avoid. The good news is that there are effective ways to do just that.

People at high risk for infection with hepatitis B can be vaccinated with a

series of three injections (see info box for risk factors). If exposure

occurs before vaccination, hepatitis B immune globulin, an injection of

preformed antibodies to the virus, can be given in addition to the vaccine.

Also (here goes that broken record again), always wear a condom to help

decrease transmission of all STDs.

Hepatitis B can cause significant problems during pregnancy. The babies of

women with the virus can become infected before or during labor and

delivery. Breast-feeding also can infect the infant, so women with hepatitis

B should not breast-feed.

In this country, all pregnant women are screened for the disease during

prenatal care, and the vaccine and the immune globulin can be given during

pregnancy to those who need it.

Hepatitis B is a potentially devastating disease. If you or someone you love

is at risk of infection, it's important to know about these things you can

do to protect yourself.

Date published: 11/21/2004

[Guest guest]

http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2004/112004/11212004/1572715

The Free Lance-Star

Hepatitis infections dangerous

Hepatitis B is a disease you want to avoid

Date published: 11/21/2004

FOR THOSE of you who have never had surgery, a routinely asked question

during the preoperative consent process is whether it's all right to

administer blood if necessary. Almost without fail, the answer is some

variation of, " Is the blood tested for diseases? "

The disease that people are most often concerned about is HIV (which I'll

write more about in the next column). However, hepatitis B is much more

commonly transmitted through blood transfusions than HIV is, and the risk of

transmitting hepatitis C is the same as with HIV.

Since blood is screened for diseases, transmission through blood

transfusions is unlikely. However, hepatitis B is commonly transmitted

through sexual contact. And hepatitis C also can be transmitted through

sexual contact, although this is much less common than with hepatitis B.

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. There are many different types of

hepatitis, but I'll be focusing on hepatitis B, since it is the one that is

most commonly transmitted sexually (and this is one of a series of columns

on sexually transmitted diseases, after all).

Hepatitis B is caused by a virus that infects the liver and is acquired, as

stated previously, either sexually or through exposure to blood. It accounts

for 40 to 45 percent of all cases of hepatitis.

Once a person is infected with the hepatitis B virus, one of two outcomes is

possible. Permanent immunity is the preferred one. This means that the

infected person develops protective antibodies--proteins in the blood that

work to fight off infection and usually last a lifetime--against future

infection. The person is not at risk of permanent liver damage. Eighty-five

to 90 percent of those infected fall into this category.

The less desirable outcome is to become a chronic carrier (accounting for

the other 10 to 15 percent). Chronic carriers can develop cirrhosis of the

liver and even a form of liver cancer. About 4,000 to 5,000 people with

chronic hepatitis die annually.

Hepatitis B can be diagnosed with simple blood tests that check for certain

components of the hepatitis B virus, as well as antibodies to these

components. Early in the infection's course, blood-test values for liver

function may be elevated.

Physical signs and symptoms of the disease may include jaundice (yellowing

of the skin and eyes) and pain in the right upper part of the abdomen just

under the rib cage.

By now you're probably thinking that hepatitis B is something you'd like to

avoid. The good news is that there are effective ways to do just that.

People at high risk for infection with hepatitis B can be vaccinated with a

series of three injections (see info box for risk factors). If exposure

occurs before vaccination, hepatitis B immune globulin, an injection of

preformed antibodies to the virus, can be given in addition to the vaccine.

Also (here goes that broken record again), always wear a condom to help

decrease transmission of all STDs.

Hepatitis B can cause significant problems during pregnancy. The babies of

women with the virus can become infected before or during labor and

delivery. Breast-feeding also can infect the infant, so women with hepatitis

B should not breast-feed.

In this country, all pregnant women are screened for the disease during

prenatal care, and the vaccine and the immune globulin can be given during

pregnancy to those who need it.

Hepatitis B is a potentially devastating disease. If you or someone you love

is at risk of infection, it's important to know about these things you can

do to protect yourself.

Date published: 11/21/2004

[Guest guest]

http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2004/112004/11212004/1572715

The Free Lance-Star

Hepatitis infections dangerous

Hepatitis B is a disease you want to avoid

Date published: 11/21/2004

FOR THOSE of you who have never had surgery, a routinely asked question

during the preoperative consent process is whether it's all right to

administer blood if necessary. Almost without fail, the answer is some

variation of, " Is the blood tested for diseases? "

The disease that people are most often concerned about is HIV (which I'll

write more about in the next column). However, hepatitis B is much more

commonly transmitted through blood transfusions than HIV is, and the risk of

transmitting hepatitis C is the same as with HIV.

Since blood is screened for diseases, transmission through blood

transfusions is unlikely. However, hepatitis B is commonly transmitted

through sexual contact. And hepatitis C also can be transmitted through

sexual contact, although this is much less common than with hepatitis B.

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. There are many different types of

hepatitis, but I'll be focusing on hepatitis B, since it is the one that is

most commonly transmitted sexually (and this is one of a series of columns

on sexually transmitted diseases, after all).

Hepatitis B is caused by a virus that infects the liver and is acquired, as

stated previously, either sexually or through exposure to blood. It accounts

for 40 to 45 percent of all cases of hepatitis.

Once a person is infected with the hepatitis B virus, one of two outcomes is

possible. Permanent immunity is the preferred one. This means that the

infected person develops protective antibodies--proteins in the blood that

work to fight off infection and usually last a lifetime--against future

infection. The person is not at risk of permanent liver damage. Eighty-five

to 90 percent of those infected fall into this category.

The less desirable outcome is to become a chronic carrier (accounting for

the other 10 to 15 percent). Chronic carriers can develop cirrhosis of the

liver and even a form of liver cancer. About 4,000 to 5,000 people with

chronic hepatitis die annually.

Hepatitis B can be diagnosed with simple blood tests that check for certain

components of the hepatitis B virus, as well as antibodies to these

components. Early in the infection's course, blood-test values for liver

function may be elevated.

Physical signs and symptoms of the disease may include jaundice (yellowing

of the skin and eyes) and pain in the right upper part of the abdomen just

under the rib cage.

By now you're probably thinking that hepatitis B is something you'd like to

avoid. The good news is that there are effective ways to do just that.

People at high risk for infection with hepatitis B can be vaccinated with a

series of three injections (see info box for risk factors). If exposure

occurs before vaccination, hepatitis B immune globulin, an injection of

preformed antibodies to the virus, can be given in addition to the vaccine.

Also (here goes that broken record again), always wear a condom to help

decrease transmission of all STDs.

Hepatitis B can cause significant problems during pregnancy. The babies of

women with the virus can become infected before or during labor and

delivery. Breast-feeding also can infect the infant, so women with hepatitis

B should not breast-feed.

In this country, all pregnant women are screened for the disease during

prenatal care, and the vaccine and the immune globulin can be given during

pregnancy to those who need it.

Hepatitis B is a potentially devastating disease. If you or someone you love

is at risk of infection, it's important to know about these things you can

do to protect yourself.

Date published: 11/21/2004