Viral Hepatitis - NEA Health Information Network

An estimated 3.5-5.3 million

Americans are living with viral hepatitis today. Hepatitis means an inflammation of the

liver. Viral hepatitis

refers to a few specific viruses that primarily attack the liver. A person can have a viral hepatitis and go

without symptoms for decades.

Approximately 65%-75% of infected Americans are unaware that they are

affected by viral hepatitis and go untreated.

This disease is the leading cause of liver transplantation in the U.S.

There are various forms of viral

hepatitis, however, the 3 major forms are Hepatitis A (HAV), Hepatitis B (HBV),

and Hepatitis C (HCV).

Hepatitis A:

Hepatitis A (HAV) is the most

easily spread of the hepatitis viruses, and is sometimes referred to as the

contagious hepatitis. Infection with HAV

can be spread through food or water, especially where conditions become unsanitary

and contamination of food and water with human waste may occur. HAV is typically spread among household

members and close contacts through the passage of oral secretions (intimate

kissing) or stool (poor hand washing). It also is common to have infection

spread to customers in restaurants and among children and workers in day care

centers if hand washing and sanitary precautions are not observed.

Hepatitis

B (HBV) is spread through direct contact with infected blood, semen, vaginal

fluid, or saliva. It is transmitted primarily through sexual contact. HBV can

also be spread by the transfer of blood

or serum through shared needles in drug abusers, accidental needle sticks with

needles contaminated with infected blood, blood transfusions, and by infected

mothers to their newborns. The infection can also be spread by tattooing, body

piercing, and sharing razors and toothbrushes (if there is contamination with

infected blood).

HBV is a vaccine preventable

disease. Please contact your family

healthcare provider for information on how to receive the HBV vaccine.

Hepatitis C (HCV) is primarily transmitted by

blood-to-blood contact. Due to advances

in prevention strategies, new infections with HCV in the U.S. are not common, and

are most attributed to shared needle use among drug abusers.