Hepatitis Flashcards
What is viral hepatitis?
Inflammation of the liver
What are the symptoms acute of hepatitis?
Non-specific flu like symptoms
JAUNDICE, dark urine, pale faeces
What are the symptoms of chronic hepatitis?
General malaise, cirrhosis, primary hepatocellular carcinoma (after 10-30y)
What does fulminant mean?
is any event or process that occurs suddenly and quickly, and is intense and severe to the point of lethality, i.e., it has an explosive character.
What is it that causes damage in hepatitis?
The immune response to hepatitis viruses causes liver damage (i.e. it disrupts the normal architecture of the liver - lobules)
What is jaundice?
It is the result of liver damage/failure it is essentially hyperbilirubinemia
What type of infection is observed when one is exposed to a hepatitis virus early in life?
There is initially a less severe acute disease (i.e. less death of hepatocytes), however higher rates of chronic infection are observed
What are the different types of hepatitis?
Hep A-E A "infectious hepatitis" B "serum hepatitis" C serum non-A, non-B D dependant on HBV E enteric non-A, non-B
can hepatitis result from one virus or is it the product of many?
Hepatitis is one disease but there are many viruses which cause it, there is no cross over protection if infected by one
Hep A Source of virus? How is it transmitted? Incubation period? Infection type? Prevention? Symptoms by age group?
- Faeces
- Faecal-oral
- 2–6 weeks
- ACUTE
- Pre/post-exposure immunization
- Less then 6 = less then 10% 6-14 = 40-50% Older then 14 yrs = 70%-80%
Hep B Source of virus? Incubation period? Infection type? Prevention? Clinical illness (jaundice)? Chronic infection numbers? Perinatal transmission?
• Blood/blood-derived body fluids • Percutaneous, Permucosal • 4–26 weeks • Chronic • Pre/post-exposure immunization •
Hep C Source of virus? Incubation period? Infection type? Prevention? Immunity?
- Blood/blood-derived body fluids
- Percutaneous, Permucosal
- 2–26 weeks (ave 6-7 weeks)
- Chronic
- Blood donor screening; risk behaviour modification
- No protective antibody response identified
Hep D Source of virus? How is it transmitted? Incubation period? Infection type? Prevention?
- Blood/blood-derived body fluids
- Percutaneous, Permucosal
- Same as for HBV
- Chronic
- Pre/post exposure immunization; risk behaviour modification
Hep E Source of virus? How is it transmitted? Incubation period? Infection type? Prevention? Fatality?
- Faeces
- Faecal-oral
- 2–10 weeks (ave 40 days)
- ACUTE
- Ensure safe drinking water
- 1-3% overall but 15-25% in pregnant women
Where are Hep A rates the highest in Aus?
Higher prevalence in indigenous communities - NT
Hep A What virus family is it from? What kind of virus is it? How many serotypes worldwide? Does it infect other species?
- Picornaviridae family - Hepatovirus – (other relatives = polio, rhinoviruses)
- Non-enveloped (+) ssRNA virus
- Single serotype worldwide (useful for vaccine)
- Infects man, many higher primates
What is the life cycle of the HAV?
It is in contaminated water/food Ingested REPLICATES in intestinal epithelia Travels through the blood Replicates in the liver Excreted via the bile into the faeces Enters water/food
How are HAV and HEV transmitted?
Mainly through contaminated water/food
Also through Sexual intercourse and intravenous drug users
How is HBV transmitted?
Through sexual intercourse
Mostly between intravenous drug users
Need to look up prenatal (no Rx and Rx)
How is HCV transmitted?
Mainly through intravenous drug users
Some evidence that it can be transmitted sexually
Need to look up prenatal (no Rx and Rx)
How can we determine if the hepatitis is acute/chronic?
Serological tests - ELISAs etc. – IgM antibody to viral proteins (acute) • Reactive at 1-2 wks • Sensitivity >90%, Specificity >99% – IgG antibody to viral proteins • Rising titre confirms acute infection
Also Nucleic acid tests
– PCR from blood/faeces, but inferior to ELISA
What are the potential complications and chronic sequelae of Hep A
Complications: Fulminant hepatitis (rare), Cholestatic hepatitis
Chronic sequelae: None
Is Hep A cleared, how long do symptoms last?
Immune mediated cytopathology and viral clearance • Symptoms last 2-3 weeks
What is the principle way to prevent HAV?
Sanitation
If not Immune globulin can be used both pre exposure (in travellers) and post exposure