7. Blood Borne Viruses Flashcards
Hepatitis viruses - basic definition
—> inflammation of the liver
Acute hep
• Acute = less than 6 months
Chronic hep
• Chronic = longer than 6 months
Strains of hep - basics
- 5 main strains of the hepatitis virus referred to as A,B,C,D and E.
- While each virus can cause similar symptoms, they are transmitted differently and can affect the liver in different ways.
- Hepatitis A and E cause short term infections – fecal oral route .
- Type B and C can lead to chronic disease and together are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis worldwide. - chronic liver disease
Importance of hepatitis viruses
- Disease burden and economic burden due to chronic hepatitis related liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, liver transplant and mortality from the disease.
- Hepatitis B is preventable due to vaccine. Universal vaccination introduced to UK infant schedule 2017.
- Hepatitis C is treatable with direct acting antiviral drugs. NICE licensed.
HAV structure
•HAV is a non enveloped RNA virus in the picornavirus
HBV - structure
•HBV is an enveloped partially double stranded DNA virus in the hepadnavirus family
HCV - structure
•HCV is an enveloped single strand RNA virus in the flavivirus family.
HDV - structure
•HDV is a defective virus can’t infect a hepatocyte unless already infected with HBV
HEV - structure
•HEV is a non enveloped RNA virus in the Hepeviridae family
Non enveloped RNA hep viruses
HAV and HEV – non enveloped RNA
Enveloped virus
Hep b- enveloped double strand DNA
Hep C_ - enveloped single strand RNA
Defective virus
Hep D- only infect those with hep B
HEP A - details
—> RNA virus Picornaviridae
- Oral-Faecal Route – contaminated food or water
- Incubation 2-6 weeks
- Vaccine available
- Self limiting, complications rare
- HAV IgM in an active infection
- HAV IgG recovery/vaccination - can develop over time in the virus
HEP E - details
—> RNA virus Hepeviridae
- Oral-Faecal Route
- Incubation 40 days
- Dangerous in pregnant women
- Self limiting- off licence medications Ribavarin
- HEV IgM in active infection
- HEV IgG recovery produced later
HEP B - details
—-> blood borne virus – spread by blood, semen or bodily fluids
- Sexual contact
- IVDU - IV drug users
- Blood Products
- Needlestick injuries
- Incubation : 6/52-6/12
- Chronicity. = younger you are the worse repsonse you have to hep B
- Vaccine available but no cure – babies screened asap vertical transmission
Hep B - vertical transmission
Vertical Transmission (75% globally) = passage from mother to child (just after childbirth normally, perinatal) • Without treatment and precautions for hep B postiitve women there is 40% chance to pass to newborn but the newborn won't show symptoms – only release later down the line, when shown in chronic liver disease • All preg women are screened for hep B
HEP C - details
•IVDU (90%) iv drug users •Sexual contact <1% •Infants born to HCV +ve (vertical transmission) •Blood products prior to 1991 – as before then blood products weren't screened •Needlestick injuries sharing needles •Incubation: 2/52-6/12 •Chronicity 80% •No vaccine but may be cured
Screened for as it can be symptom free
Pathophysiology of hepatitis
- Acute infection after inoculation/ingestion
- Virus enters hepatocytes (liver cells) which are the main site of replication
- This triggers a cellular immune response by the host’s defence mechanisms and release of cytotoxic cytokines and natural killer cells
- Attack the infected hepatocytes leading to destruction of the hepatocytes and release of liver enzymes
- Oedema and necrosis
- Cholestasis- altered blood flow through the liver
Long term effects of hepatitis
- Fibrosis- scarring
- Cirrhosis- severe scarring
- Carcinoma
Symptoms
- Malaise
- Lethargy
- Fever
- Nausea
- Anorexia
- Abdo pain
- Jaundice- yellow discoluration of skin and/or sclera
- Pruritis - itching of skin
- Dark urine, pale stools
No symptoms = acute hep can be asymptomatic or vague or mild, general or non-specific
Signs of hepatitis
Fever
•Jaundice
•Hepatomegaly,- enlargement of liver - tender
Signs of chronic liver disease
- Later signs of liver cirrhosis- palmar erythema (red palms and finger tips), spider naevi (spidery veins under skin), gynaecomastia,(breast tissue developemnt in men)
- abdominal distension, (swelling of abdomen), caput medusae, (portal vein hypertension) encephalopathy.(confusion)
Investigations for acute hep
Blood tests
•Liver function tests;
•Immunology - screening for all hep A, B, C and E
•Imaging- not usually required for diagnosis
•USS, CT scan, liver biopsy
•Liver function tests;
» Liver transaminases : (marker of HC damage when liver is destroy) ALT & AST
» Alkaline Phosphatase : (located on the outer layer of cell membrane/indicator of BT cell damage/cholestasis)
» Albumin ( protein synthesised in the liver) - decrease in chronic phase
» Coagulation tests (clotting factor are synthesised in the liver) INR PT – INR and prothrombin time
Hep B serology
.
3 Hepatitis B Markers
– HB Surface Antigen = surface protein in both chronic and acute hep, used to generate vaccine
– HB Surface Antibody = indicates recovery and immunity
– HB Core Antibody = show previous or ongoing infection
• IgG in chronic, IgM in acute
– HB Surface Antigen
– HB Surface Antigen = surface protein in both chronic and acute hep, used to generate vaccine
– HB Surface Antibody
– HB Surface Antibody = indicates recovery and immunity