Hepatitis A
Caused by the
Hepatitis A virus (HAV)
Hepatitis A is a serious liver disease caused by the hepatitis
A virus (HAV). HAV is found in the feces of people with
hepatitis A and is usually spread by close personal contact (including sex or sharing a household). It can also be spread by eating food or drinking water contaminated with HAV.
Who is at risk?
• Household contacts of infected persons
• Sex partners of infected persons
• Persons traveling to countries where hepatitis A is common (everywhere except Canada, Western Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand)
• Men who have sex with men
• Injecting and non-injecting drug users
Persons with chronic liver disease should be vaccinated against hepatitis A.
What if you are infected?
Incubation period: 15 to 50 days, average 28 days.
There is no chronic (long-term)
infection. Once you have had hepatitis A, you cannot get it again. About 15% of people infected with HAV will have prolonged illness or relapsing symptoms over a 6–9 month period. The only way to know if you have already been infected is to have your blood tested for HAV, HBV, or HCV infection.
What treatment helps?
• There is no treatment for hepatitis A.
• Avoid alcohol. It can worsen liver disease.
How it can be prevented?
• Hepatitis A vaccine is the best protection. It is recommended for people age 2 yrs and older who are in risk groups for HAV infection or for severe outcomes from infection.
Hepatitis B
Caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV)
HBV is found in blood and certain body fluids. It is spread when blood or body fluid from an infected person enters the body of a person who is not immune. Exposure to infected blood in ANY situation can be a risk for transmission.
Who is at risk?
• Persons with more than one sex partner in a 6-month period
• Men who have sex with men
• Sex partners of infected persons
• Injecting drug users
• Household contacts of chronically infected persons
• Infants born to infected mothers
• Healthcare and public safety workers who might be exposed to blood
What if you are infected?
Incubation period: 45 to 160 days, average 120 days
Chronic infection occurs in up to 90% of infants infected at birth; 30% of children infected at age 1–5 years; 2–6% of persons infected after age 5 years.
What treatment helps?
• Persons with chronic HBV infection should have a medical evaluation for liver disease every 6–12 months. Several antiviral medications are currently licensed for the treatment of persons with chronic hepatitis B. These drugs are effective in up to 40% of patients. Liver trans- plant is the last resort, but livers are not always available.
• Avoid alcohol. It can worsen liver disease.
How it can be prevented?
• Hepatitis B vaccine is the best protection. Routine vaccination is recommended for all persons 0–18 years of age, and for persons of all ages who are in risk groups for HBV infection. All newborns should be given their first dose of hepatitis B vaccine before leaving the hospital.
• There is no medical reason that hepatitis B vaccine cannot be given to anyone who wants it.
• Whenever a woman is pregnant, she should be tested for hepatitis B; infants born to HBV-infected mothers should be given HBIG (hepatitis B immune globulin) and vaccine within 12 hours of birth.
Hepatitis C
Caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV)
HCV is found in blood and certain body fluids. It is spread when blood or body fluid from an infected person enters another person's body.
It is possible to transmit HCV during sex, but it is uncommon.
Who is at risk?
• Injecting drug users
• Recipients of clotting factors made before 1987
• Hemodialysis patients
• Recipients of blood or solid organ transplants before 1992
• Infants born to HCV-infected mothers
Although HCV is not commonly spread through sex, persons having sex with multiple partners or with an infected steady partner may be at increased risk of HCV infection.
Whatif you are infected?
Incubation period: 14 to 180 days, average 45 days
Chronic infection: 75–85% of infected persons
Chronic liver disease: 70% of chronically infected persons. In the U.S., 8–10,000 people die each year from HCV. Chronic HCV-related liver disease is the leading indication for liver transplant.
What treatment helps?
• Persons with chronic HCV infection should have a medical evaluation for liver disease every 6–12 months. Interferon, pegylated interferon, and ribavirin are the only drugs licensed for the treatment of persons with chronic hepatitis C. Combination therapy is currently the treatment of choice and can eliminate the virus in approximately 50% of patients (genotype 1).
How it can be prevented?
• Get vaccinated against hepatitis A, and ask your healthcare provider if you need hepatitis B vaccine as well.
• Avoid alcohol. It can worsen liver disease.
• There is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C.
• HCV can be spread by sex, but this is rare. You should also get vaccinated against hepatitis B.