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Article by Senior Doctor, Specialist II Tran Khac Dien - Department of Examination - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.Hepatitis B and C are now not too strange and are caused by viruses. Both diseases are dangerous, leaving many health consequences such as cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer...
1. Understanding Hepatitis B
What function does the liver perform? Answer: The liver is a large and important organ in your body. Functions of the liver include:
Storing vitamins, sugars, fats and other nutrients from the food you eat; Make the chemicals your body needs to stay healthy; Break down poisons, such as alcohol and other toxic chemicals; Elimination of harmful substances from the blood; Make sure your body has just enough of the other chemicals it needs. What is viral hepatitis? Answer: Hepatitis is a disease that affects the liver. “Hepatitis” means the liver is inflamed. The liver is a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters blood, and fights infections. When the liver becomes inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected.
It is usually caused by viruses such as:
Hepatitis A Virus (HAV); Hepatitis B virus (HBV); Hepatitis C virus (HCV); Hepatitis D virus (HDV); Hepatitis E virus (HEV); Excessive alcohol consumption, toxins, certain medications, and certain diseases can cause hepatitis. How is hepatitis B spread? Answer: Hepatitis B is usually spread through blood, semen, or other bodily fluids from a person infected with the hepatitis B virus into a healthy person. This can happen by having sex with an infected person or by sharing needles, syringes, or other injection equipment that transmits the virus. Hepatitis B can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby during childbirth.
Hepatitis B is not transmitted through breastfeeding, sharing kitchen utensils, hugging, kissing, shaking hands, coughing or sneezing. Unlike some other forms of hepatitis. Hepatitis B is not spread through contaminated food or water.
Who is at risk for Hepatitis B? Answer: Although anyone can get hepatitis B , there are people who are at higher risk such as:
Having sex with many infected people; Having many sexual partners; Have sexually transmitted diseases; Gay men; Injecting drugs or sharing needles, syringes, or other injection equipment; On dialysis, dialysis; Exposure to blood while working; Newborns from mothers infected with hepatitis B. How serious is hepatitis B? A: Over time about 15%-25% of people with chronic hepatitis B develop severe liver disease, including liver damage, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Every year more than 600,000 (including hepatitis C about 100,000) people around the world die from hepatitis B-related disease.
What are the symptoms of acute hepatitis B? Answer: When infected with hepatitis B, not everyone has symptoms of acute hepatitis B, especially children. Most adults develop symptoms within 3 months of exposure. Symptoms that can last from a few weeks to several months include:
Mild fever (around 37.5 to 38.5 degrees Celsius); Tired; Anorexia; Nausea; Vomit; Abdominal pain, sometimes with loose stools. What are the symptoms of chronic hepatitis B? Answer: Many people with chronic hepatitis B have no symptoms and do not know they are infected. Although there are no symptoms, the virus can still be detected in the blood. Symptoms of chronic hepatitis B can take 30 years to develop. Liver damage can be silent. When symptoms appear, they resemble an acute infection and may be a sign of advanced disease.
How is hepatitis B diagnosed and treated? Answer: Hepatitis B is diagnosed by specific blood tests. For acute hepatitis B, doctors will often recommend rest, adequate nutrition, adequate intake, and medical supervision. Even though a person has no symptoms or feels sick, liver damage can still occur. Several new therapies can significantly improve health and slow or reverse this liver disease.
Can hepatitis B be prevented? Answer: Yes. The best way to prevent hepatitis B is to get vaccinated. For adults, hepatitis B vaccine is given 3 times in 6 months. This series of immunizations is necessary for long-term protection.
Who should get the hepatitis B vaccine? Answer: People who should get the hepatitis B vaccine include:
Anyone who has sex with an infected partner; People with many sexual partners; Persons with sexually transmitted diseases; Gay men; People living with someone who has hepatitis B; Healthcare workers exposed to blood; Travelers to specific countries; Infant. What can people with hepatitis B do to take care of their liver? Answer: People with chronic hepatitis B should have regular medical check-ups. They should also ask their healthcare provider before taking prescription or nonprescription medications, including supplements or vitamins, as these can damage the liver. People with chronic hepatitis B should also not drink alcohol because it can accelerate liver damage.
2. Understanding Hepatitis C
What is Hepatitis C? Answer: Hepatitis C is a contagious disease caused by infection with the hepatitis C virus. When a person is first infected, a person can have an acute infection that ranges from mild, asymptomatic to very severe requiring hospitalization.
Hepatitis C is a disease that occurs in the first 6 months after exposure to the hepatitis C virus. 15%-25% of people are "cleared" of the virus without treatment.
How is hepatitis C spread? Answer: Hepatitis C is usually spread when the blood of a person infected with the hepatitis C virus enters the body of a healthy person. Most people get hepatitis C from sharing needles. Hepatitis C can also be transmitted through sexual contact (homosexuality) and from mother to child during labor. Unsterilized tattoo tools can spread hepatitis C and other infectious diseases.
How serious is hepatitis C? A: Chronic hepatitis C can lead to long-term health problems, including liver damage, liver failure, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. About 12,000 people die each year from hepatitis C-related illness.
What are the symptoms of hepatitis C? A: Many people with hepatitis C have no symptoms and do not know they are infected. Symptoms of acute and chronic hepatitis C can include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, gray stools, joint pain and jaundice..
Hepatitis. How is C diagnosed? Answer: Doctors can diagnose with specific blood tests. Usually a person is first screened for “antibodies” to the hepatitis C virus (HCV Ab). If this screening test is positive, another blood test should be done to determine whether the infection is clear or chronic (HCV RNA counts hepatitis C virus).
How is hepatitis C treated? A: When diagnosed, doctors recommend rest, adequate nutrition, plenty of easy-to-digest liquid foods and antiviral medication. People with chronic hepatitis C should be tested regularly for signs of liver damage.
How can people with chronic hepatitis C take care of themselves?
Answer: People with chronic hepatitis C should have regular medical check-ups. They should also ask their healthcare provider before taking prescription or over-the-counter medications because they can cause liver damage. People with chronic hepatitis C should avoid alcohol because it can increase liver damage.
Who should be tested for hepatitis C? Answer: The following people should be tested for hepatitis C:
Sharing needles; HIV infection ; Tests have abnormal liver enzymes, liver function; Blood donation or organ transplant before 1992; Workplace blood exposure through needles or sharp objects; On dialysis, hemodialysis, artificial kidney. Is hepatitis C preventable? Answer: There is currently no vaccine against hepatitis C. Measures to prevent hepatitis C are:
Live healthy; Safe sex ; Do not share needles and syringes; Reusable sharp objects must be sterilized; Ensure safety in a high-risk work environment. In general, hepatitis B is more likely to spread than hepatitis C in the community, leading to a higher percentage of people infected with hepatitis B virus. Regarding the level of danger, there is a vaccine to prevent hepatitis B, but there is no hepatitis C. Not only that, hepatitis C also causes genetic mutations and destroys liver cells. Therefore, hepatitis C is more dangerous than hepatitis B.
With the above information, hopefully you have answered the questions related to hepatitis B and C. Hepatitis B and C have specific properties. Each disease is different, and when detected, it is necessary to treat immediately to avoid dangerous complications later.
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