Hepatitis C Information

Types of Hepatitis, Symptoms of Major Types of Hepatitis

Posted on February 7, 2011 by admin

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver, which can be caused by viruses, medications, or toxic agents.

Hepatitis known as an inflammation of the liver , is a gastroenterological disease. Hepatitis is generally categorized as a viral or non-viral hepatitis. Viral hepatitis can be considered “rapid” a position that comes on frequently with severe symptoms and for a short time or “chronic” a position that comes on slowly, may or may not have symptoms for a long time.

Viral infections are the cause of most acute Hepatitis. Hepatitis comes in 7 not so delicious flavours: Hepatitis A, B, C, D – Agent (which requires the presence of the hepatitis B virus to form), Hepatitis E, F, and G. None of these are very yummy, and should be avoided at all costs.

When most people refer to hepatitis, they are probably talking about viral hepatitis, which is classified into several types. Hepatitis A, which is very common in underdeveloped countries, is acquired from water or food sources. This type of hepatitis is usually mild and may sometimes be discovered only by blood testing. Hepatitis A never leads to chronic liver disease.

Hepatitis A is a highly infectious disease caused by Enterovirus referred to as Hepatitis A Virus(HAV) and the incubation period for this disease is about 2 – 8 weeks and the disease is called Short Incubation Hepatitis. The virus replicates in the liver of the host.

With hepatitis B, the liver also swells. Hepatitis B can be a serious infection that can cause liver damage, which may result in cancer. Some people are not able to get rid of the virus, which makes the infection chronic, or life long. Blood banks test all donated blood for hepatitis B, greatly reducing the risk for getting the virus from blood transfusions or blood products.

Hepatitis C is also passed on through contaminated blood and is similar to hepatitis B, but it is caused by a different type of virus. Infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the number-one reason for liver transplant in the U.S. Unlike hepatitis A and B, there is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C.

Two other hepatitis viruses are known, hepatitis D and E. The D agent, an RNA passenger virus, cannot proliferate without the presence of hepatitis B virus, because its genome lacks certain essential genes. Hepatitis E produces a picture quite similar to hepatitis A, although it can take a fulminant course in some patients, particularly pregnant women; it is more prevalent in the Indian subcontinent. Hepatitis D is caused by the hepatitis D virus (HDV). It occurs only in people who have hepatitis B. Hepatitis E is caused by the hepatitis E virus (HEV), which can be found in the stool (bowel movements) of infected people. It is uncommon in the United States but is a risk to international travelers.

Share and Enjoy:

Posted in hep c info, hepatitis c, hepatitis c articles, hepatitis c info, hepatitis c information, liver disease | Tagged hep c, hep c info, hepatitis, hepatitis article, hepatitis c, hepatitis c article, hepatitis c information, hepatitis information, heppc types | Comments Off

What are the Symptoms of Alcoholic Liver Disease?

Posted on February 4, 2011 by admin

by Eugene Williams

Alcoholic liver disease is a pandemic problem that afflicts millions of people worldwide. In many famalies across america alcoholic abuse has and is causing detrimental harm to people’s livers.

What Is The Liver?

The liver is situated just under the right ribs and beneath the right lung. The liver is also the largest organ in your body that has a pyramid shape and divided into left and right lobes. There are also two sources from where the liver receives blood: The hepatic artery brings oxygen rich blood directly from the heart and the portal vein carries nutrient rich blood from the intestines.

What Are Important Functions Of The Liver?

Secretes bile into the intestines to help absorb nutrients an example of this would be fats.

The liver aids the body in eliminating harmful toxic wastes from the body.

Creates most of the clotting factors that help us to not bleed too much when you get a cut.

Stores and breaks down many of the nutrients absorbed from the intestines that are needed for the body to function.

What Is The Definition Of Liver Disease?

A chronic or acute inflammation of the liver is induced by alcohol abuse. A number of years of excessive drinking can cause alcoholic liver disease. Acute alcoholic hepatitis can result from binge drinking. Malnutrition comes from consuming empty calories from alcohol and a reduction in appetite. The actual toxicity of the ethanol, genetic factors and individual susceptibility to alcohol-induced liver all play a role in the development of alcoholic liver disease.

What Are The Symptoms Of Alcoholic Liver Disease?

Fever

Jaundice

Nausea

Loss Of Appetite

Dry Mouth

Fatigue

Abdominal pain and tenderness

Mental confusion

Also bloody or dark bowel movements

Redness on feet or hands

Vomiting blood

Breast development in males

Alcoholic liver disease is a pandemic problem that should be brought out in the open through more education and prevention.

As more information is uncovered this article will be updated.

DISCLAIMER

The information provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care practioner/ patient relationship with its readers.

Share and Enjoy:

Posted in Health, hepatitis c articles, hepatitis c info, hepatitis c information, liver disease | Tagged hep c, hep c info, hepatitis, hepatitis article, hepatitis c, hepatitis c article, hepatitis c information, hepatitis c myths, hepatitis information, heppc alcoholic | Comments Off

Knowing the Severity of a Hepatitis Infection

Posted on January 31, 2011 by admin

By Lincoln Curtis J Pate

Hepatitis is the liver inflammation gained from viruses, chemicals, or toxins. There is tenderness in the liver and skin’s yellow discoloration that is present. The progress of serologic exams has made it feasible to recognize a rising number of particular viruses which causes hepatitis. The common types of hepatitis are A, B, C, D, and E viruses; and even though the signs and symptoms of infection are parallel in Hepatitis A to E, these conditions vary in incubation stage, method of transfer, and severity.

Viral hepatitis happens globally; it is a disease in the U.S., with roughly 50, 000 cases reported yearly. The core focuses amid the types of hepatitis are Hepatitis B and C. Hepatitis B takes place internationally, even in isolated regions, in which the prevalence amplifies in region of high population density and deprived sanitation. Hepatitis C accounts above 90% cases of after transfusion hepatitis and loads of intermittent cases of infection.

Information on hepatitis should be accessible for everyone so there are several courses on avoiding the incidence of the illness. Health care employees are at danger for getting Hepatitis B since they’re close contact with blood and blood carriers. Patients who received numerous blood transfusions or dialysis are also susceptible. Some high threat populations include IV drug users, homosexual men, people who go through tattooing, and morticians. The main roots of Hepatitis B are clients in acute stage of infection and carriers. Contact with serum of a contaminated person is the main mode of transfer and spread. The virus can even be transmitted via other body discharges and fluids like the saliva and the semen. Hepatitis B virus might stay alive on environmental exterior for about a week. Hepatitis C is transferred paternally via blood, perhaps through fecal-oral route, and by personal contact such as sexual intercourse and the like. Similar to hepatitis B, hepatitis C could be dispersed by the carrier. Since hepatitis C can also be transmitted paternally, the risks are comparable to those of hepatitis B.

People containing viral hepatitis usually recuperate totally from disease within 3 to 16 weeks. Persons who are otherwise well typically get better from this contagion. Patients having hepatitis B virus tends to experience a lot of complications. Approximately 10% of those infected persons develop chronic dynamic hepatitis as an upshot from hepatitis B, which usually leads to damage of the liver. Cirrhosis might trail a grave case of hepatitis B or persistent active hepatitis. Major hepatic cellular carcinoma is a probable problem of persistent hepatitis. Other apparent complication of hepatitis comprise of chronic, relentless hepatitis, chronic carrier condition, and aplastic anemia.

The forecast on the hepatitis infection would be by eight to ten weeks; almost all patients with acute viral hepatitis reveal average results on liver function testing. Nevertheless, the clinical route, mortality, and morbidity of viral hepatitis may differ significantly. In many cases, patients recuperate in three to sixteen weeks, with irregular outcome on liver function test for a longer period, as more patients recover fully. The mortality rate is below 1%, with the rate apparently being elevated in older people.

To prevent such problems and complications, it would be better to seek consult at a STD clinic and get tested. This way, you can avoid the detrimental effects of the illness.

Share and Enjoy:

Posted in Health, hepatitis c contraction, hepatitis c info, hepatitis c information, liver disease | Tagged hep c, hep c info, hepatitis, hepatitis article, hepatitis c, hepatitis c article, hepatitis c information, hepatitis c myths, hepatitis information, hepc testing | Comments Off

The Unspecific Character of Hepatitis C Symptoms

Posted on January 24, 2011 by admin

By Groshan Fabiola

Hepatitis C generally refers to infection of the liver. The disease has an incubation stage of up to six months, and patients often have no clear symptoms over this period of time. In some cases the symptoms of hepatitis C occur after a few months from the moment of infection, while in other cases the symptoms of hepatitis C occur after more than a year, when the disease becomes chronic.

Due to the unspecific character of most symptoms produced by hepatitis C, the process of establishing the accurate diagnosis is very complicated and time consuming for doctors. It is virtually impossible for doctors to diagnose hepatitis C relying solely on patients’ reports of symptoms and clinical examinations. In order to reveal conclusive evidence of HCV (hepatitis C virus) infection, doctors need to perform a series of laboratory tests. Careful blood analyses are considered to be the most reliable method of tracing clear signs of hepatitis C in patients with suspected hepatitis. Liver biopsy is another useful medical procedure that can indicate the presence of infection with HCV and that can also provide doctors with additional information regarding the progression of the disease.

In early stages of infection with HCV, most persons experience no symptoms at all. Other persons may experience very diffuse, hardly perceivable generalized symptoms such as fatigue and nausea. At first, the symptoms produced by hepatitis C are generally mild and resemble those produced by cold or flu: muscular weakness and tenderness; joint stiffness and pain; loss of appetite. Mild or moderate fever can also occur in patients with hepatitis C in the early phases of the disease. A more relevant symptom consists in recurrent pain and pronounced discomfort in the liver area, often suggesting infection and inflammation of the organ.

In the later stages of infection with HCV, the symptoms produced by the disease gradually increase in intensity and duration, pointing to potential complications. In advanced phases of hepatitis C, the most common symptoms are: yellowish appearance of the skin and mucosal membranes (mouth and nasal mucosal lining), yellowish appearance of the eyes (often indicating the development of jaundice or icterus), light-colored feces and dark-colored urine. Patients diagnosed with complicated forms of hepatitis C can suffer from enlargement and inflammation of the liver and spleen, severe weight loss, severe body weakness, nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting. Patients with complicated hepatitis C often develop intolerance to alcoholic beverages. Pronounced intolerance to alcohol as well as to fatty food products can be an indicator of cirrhosis (liver cancer).

Share and Enjoy:

Posted in hep c info, hepatitis c, hepatitis c articles, hepatitis c info, hepatitis c information | Tagged hep c, hep c info, hepatitis, hepatitis article, hepatitis c, hepatitis c article, hepatitis c information, hepatitis c myths, hepatitis information, hepc masks | Comments Off

Hepatitis C, Piercings, and Tattoos

Posted on January 21, 2011 by admin

By Antoinette Boulay

Expressing oneself can be a valid part of the maturation process. Not only do teens need to find ways to let the world know who and what they are, but as an adult searching for ways to show how you feel is important as well. There are numerous ways to do this self-expression, some write or draw.

Others feel tattoos and body piercing are a viable method of self-expression. Piercing has certainly changed in the last twenty years, a time when it was only common for a woman to have her ears pierced. Nowadays piercing just about any place on your body, once or many times, is not uncommon, and instead of having a woman’s ears pierced with one hole in each ear, women, and men, may have multiple piercings on a single ear.

In the not so distant past, tattoos were something only the rough crowd had. Ex-cons showed off their prison tattoos with pride. But now anyone you pass on the street could have a tattoo. From a simple tiny rose on a spot always hidden beneath a woman’s clothing, to armbands, full sleeves or on some people, most of their bodies, you will see it all.

Whether you’re talking about tattoos or body piercings, there is one thing they have in common other than self-expression. That is that they put you at higher risk of contracting the Hepatitis C virus. It is how they are done that really makes the difference between risk levels. For example, it’s not a good idea to do them on your own or have a friend do them.

Prisons are probably one of the worst situations in which a tattoo or piercing can be done. That is because the Hepatitis C virus is spread by the passing of blood to blood and if the needles used for piercing or tattooing have been used before, and remain unsterile, they can pass this very infectious disease. In fact, the incidence of Hepatitis C virus infection in prisons in general is higher than the general population.

If you want a tattoo or body piercing, pick a reputable shop that looks clean, and check them out before you get the work done. Make certain that they use sterile needles from an unopened package.

You will also want the tattoo artist or piercer to wear gloves while they are working on you. This is just added protection for fear that they have open cuts that could spread any disease. When getting a tattoo you will also want clean inkpots to be used. Anything that can be done to protect you from the risk of the Hepatitis C infection is more than worth your while.

Share and Enjoy:

Posted in Health, hep c info, hepatitis c, hepatitis c articles, hepatitis c contraction | Tagged hep c, hep c info, hepatitis, hepatitis article, hepatitis c, hepatitis c article, hepatitis c information, hepatitis c myths, hepatitis information, hepc tattoos | Comments Off

Hepatitis C?

Posted on January 17, 2011 by admin

By Lori Malone

You may be worried that you have hepatitis C. Chances are if you received a blood transfusion prior to 1992, if you ever used intravenous (IV) drugs, or if you have a tattoo or body piercing, you may be at risk for hepatitis C.

Hepatitis is a disease caused by a virus that attacks the liver. Your liver is the largest organ in your body. It acts as a filter to remove harmful substances, called toxins, and waste form your blood. Hepatitis C may cause serious health issues, even in people who have no symptoms at all. Hepatitis C currently affects about 4 million people at this time. Symptoms may not present for a matter of 20 years.

How Hepatitis C is contracted? You can get the disease by coming in contact with the blood of an infected person. Many people at risk for hepatitis C have done something in their past that they didn’t know was putting them at risk. You should receive testing if you have ever shared a needle, snorted drugs(due to infected blood on shared straw), had a blood transfusion before 1992, underwent kidney transplant, just to name a few. There are currently two types of tests that can show whether you have hepatitis C. They are blood test, which looks for a virus in you blood. The second is a liver biopsy, which is more invasive. This is a surgical procedure, but is the best way to check for hepatitis C.

Some common symptoms of Hepatitis C are flu-like symptoms, loss of appetite, blood sugar disorders, indigestion, diarrhea, and depression. Some people have no symptoms at all. There are medications available for hepatitis C that may help reduce the amount of hepatitis C virus in the blood and prevent further damage to the liver caused by the virus. Depending on the type of hepatitis C a person has, treatment usually lasts from 24 to 48 weeks.

Share and Enjoy:

Hepatitis C, Reason for Liver Inflammation

Posted on January 14, 2011 by admin

By Sharon Hopkins

Common Myths about Hepatitis C

It cannot be transmitted by sneezing, coughing, shaking hands, hugging, kissing, sharing utensils, swimming in public swimming pool, using common toilets or touching doorknobs.

Possible Symptoms

Even though there aren’t any common symptoms we can include some possible symptoms which may pinpoint us towards hepatitis C problem. These possible symptoms are fatigue, losing weight, loss of hunger, joint pains, nausea, anxiety, pain in liver area, flu-symptoms like fever, headache and sweats.

Simple Preventive Measures

There are no home remedies available for this condition. But you can prevent this by following some simple instructions. Avoid sharing needles with any one. If donating blood ask for a fresh needle, opened right in front of you. Have a healthy way of living by including a good diet and exercise routine. Control your alcohol intake to prevent further damage of your liver. Practice safe sex by using condom. Get routine check-up to avoid any complications. By the much needed blood tests one can find out about hepatitis C in an early stage. Get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B to prevent further problems.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

Share and Enjoy:

Posted in hep c info, hepatitis c, hepatitis c articles, hepatitis c info, hepatitis c information, hepatitis c treatment | Tagged hep c, hep c info, hepatitis, hepatitis article, hepatitis c, hepatitis c article, hepatitis c information, hepatitis information | Comments Off

Hep C: Coping With Hepatitis C

Posted on January 10, 2011 by admin

By Bertil Hjert

Hepatitis C is an infectious virus that has the tendency to damage the liver. It transfers in to the liver via the blood.

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine, for this condition. Hence, people are instructed to follow certain preventative methods in order to keep oneself off this disease.

However, when once contracted by this infectious virus of Hep C, there is no other way out than to visit a doctor and treat the condition.

Until now, there have been no specific treatment options invented to cure this disease. Only certain changes in lifestyle, diet and antiviral medications in conjunction with bed rest is recommended by the doctors to the patients.

Once the diagnosis is done, there are several issues that need to be dealt with.

The first and foremost is to start off with a treatment program. The best way to start is with your mental health. This is irrespective of how you have contracted this disease. There is no looking back. Once you have this virus, you need to get a treatment. There is no other option.

Hep C can make you feel tired. In case, you go for a therapy, you would still feel the fatigue in you. Hence, the experts suggest a good amount of sleep and eating well. If you feel that you need a nap, don’t worry and go ahead.

Another important thing is to eat a healthy diet. Make sure that your diet includes a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Keep your self hydrated. This is very important. Drink a lot of water.

Don’t take any type of vitamin supplements without consulting your health provider. These supplements may interfere a lot with other medications you eat. Remember that too much of good things are definitely going to harm your body.

The diet pattern you maintain does a lot in your overall health. A healthy diet can improve your liver via encouraging the production of new liver cells.

You need to abstain yourself from any type of alcohol. Hep C is a liver disease and alcohol can enhance chances of liver disease. Another important thing to do is to reduce salt in your diet.

When liver disease is in a severe condition, kidneys tend to get signals that result in retention of both salt and water. The salt acts as a sponge and results in liquid build up inside the body. This liquid build up can be reduced via taking a diet low in salt.

You need to get vaccinations against Hepatitis A and also for Hepatitis B. In people with Hepatitis C, infection caused by another hepatitis strain can result in further damage to the liver.

It is true that there is no vaccine for Hep C. However, a series of shots can easily protect most people from infection with the Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B viruses. It would be better to talk to your medical practitioner regarding vaccination.

A change in life style can surely provide you a great satisfaction, when it comes to Hep C treatment.

Share and Enjoy:

Hepatitis C Symptoms Often Unphased By Antibiotics

Posted on January 7, 2011 by admin

By Wyatt McKinney

Hepatitis C is a viral disease that attacks the liver and is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Among the six known hepatitis viruses, the hepatitis C virus is considered the most damaging infecting millions worldwide. The infection is blood-borne and can cause liver inflammation.

While damage to the liver can be slow, the disease can lead to liver cancer, liver failure, and liver scarring. The hepatitis C virus is acquired through contaminated blood that enters the blood stream, most commonly through infected needles and blood transfusions.

The majority of people with hepatitis C show no symptoms for months after being infected. Those who do have symptoms may experience fatigue, lack of appetite, and joint pain. Since these symptoms may also be a sign for numerous other conditions, their presence rarely leads to a diagnosis of hepatitis C.

Even in the chronic stage of hepatitis C, meaning when one has the disease for over six moths, symptoms are rare. Those who do experience symptoms may experience jaundice, extreme fatigue, and vomiting. The disease is particularly insidious in the fact that it can do serious damage to your liver while you still appear healthy.

If you are diagnosed with hepatitis C, it is possible that your doctor will do nothing to treat you. Since the treatment of hepatitis C involves very unpleasant side effects and can be very costly, many doctors choose not to proceed with treatment if they suspect there is little chance of the disease developing into serious liver complications.

But since there is no way to accurately predict whether or a hepatitis C infection will become serious, many patients choose to begin treatment immediately.

Commonly, hepatitis C treatment begins with a combination of weekly injections of interferon and taking a powerful antiviral drug twice daily. Doctors also usually recommend vaccinations against the hepatitis A and B viruses, as acquiring these diseases may lead to serious complications during your hepatitis C treatment. Side effects of interferon include irritability, depression, memory problems and insomnia.

The side effects of ribravirin, the antiviral drug that is typically prescribed, include nasal congestion, low red blood cell count, and fatigue. The combination of these two drugs has been known, albeit rarely, to induce suicidal behavior in patients who have a history of depression.

Treatment usually lasts about a year, and has about a 50% success rate if the patient has the most common genotype. Less common genotypes have a higher success rate. If treatment fails, the virus may damage the liver so badly that it requires a liver transplant. This can be difficult, as the list of people who require a liver transplant far exceed the number of healthy livers available to hospitals.

Some patients who have suffered with hepatitis C have claimed to find success in fighting the virus with colloidal silver. Many believe that true colloidal silver is an effective treatment for hepatitis C because it destroys an enzyme that is essential for the virus’ survival.

Testimonial of reducing the hepatitis C viral load dramatically in a short period of time have been credited to the consumption of true colloidal silver.

Share and Enjoy:

Posted in hep c info, hepatitis c, hepatitis c articles, hepatitis c treatment | Tagged hep c, hep c info, hepatitis, hepatitis article, hepatitis c, hepatitis c article, hepatitis c information, hepatitis information | Comments Off

What is Hepatitis C and How is Discovered

Posted on January 3, 2011 by admin

By Groshan Fabiola

Hepatitis is known as the inflammation of the liver produced by viruses, medications, toxic agents. Hepatitis of viral cause is considered to be acute or chronic. There are different types of viruses that produce different types of hepatitis: hepatitis A, B, C, D, E each has its own characteristics.

Hepatitis C is shared by contaminated needles, drug-injection equipment, non-sterilized equipment for acupuncture, tattooing and body piercing, by unprotected sex, during delivery from mother to baby, when prizing cocaine, through a blood transfusion.

Some people may have no evident symptoms but they transmit the virus to others.
Most common symptoms include: nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, weight loss, itchy skin, jaundice. A high percent of people pass the virus to others and remain infected for many years, acute hepatitis becomes chronic hepatitis. The complications that occur in chronic hepatitis are: liver cirrhosis, liver cancer.

You are advised to search help in local clinics of sexual health, or special clinics which include: genito-urinary department, sexually transmitted diseases, venereal diseases departments. You can find the nearest clinic by searching on the internet or phone at your local hospital. Treatment and advices are free and confidential. NHS sexual health clinics usually offer the kind of treatment needed in the cases of acute hepatitis. You may also address: your own GP, a hospital Accident and Emergency department, www.playingsafely.co.uk offers detailes of STD clinics, to http://herpes-coldsores.com/support/std_clinic_us.htm for STD clinics in Australia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico and India.

There are some tests to be performed to see exactly, if you are infected and with what type of hepatitis, blood tests, a test for antibodies to the hepatitis C virus which shows if you have antibodies against hepatitis C virus and that you have been exposed to hepatitis C virus and the source of infection is important to be discovered, if your tests are positive it means you are infected with hepatitis and you can pass it to others.

Some people remain chronically infected with hepatitis C virus and transmit the infection to others, liver function tests, liver biopsy are required to see if you need to follow any treatment. A reinfection may occur any time. If the result is negative it means that you have never been in contact with hepatitis C virus. Those test(blood tests, physical check-ups) are recommended to be repeated in specialized services. At present there is no vaccine anti- hepatitis C available. Other measures you should take if you have active hepatitis are adopting a healthy diet with no fats and low salt, use condom when you have sex in order not to pass the virus to your partner, do not share your toothbrush or your shaving equipment.

Remember to use condoms so as not to pass or get sexually transmitted infections.

Share and Enjoy:

Posted in hep c info, hepatitis c, hepatitis c articles | Tagged hep c, hep c info, hepatitis, hepatitis c, hepatitis c information, hepatitis information, hepatitis transmission | Comments Off

Hepatitis C Information

Types of Hepatitis, Symptoms of Major Types of Hepatitis

What are the Symptoms of Alcoholic Liver Disease?

Knowing the Severity of a Hepatitis Infection

The Unspecific Character of Hepatitis C Symptoms

Hepatitis C, Piercings, and Tattoos

Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C, Reason for Liver Inflammation

Hep C: Coping With Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C Symptoms Often Unphased By Antibiotics

What is Hepatitis C and How is Discovered

Archives

Meta