Hepatitis Flashcards
Do employers have to offer employees hepatitis shot?
When an employee is hired for a position where there is risk of HBV, OSHA requires that the employer must offer vaccination to that healthcare worker at no charge.
If employee refuses to be vaccinated, they need to complete and sign a document.
What is the incubation period for HAV?
15-50 days
average of 28 days
What are symptoms of HAV?
Unlike HBV or HCV, HAV infection results in the abrupt onset of symptoms. Symptoms include abdominal discomfort, loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, dark urine, and jaundice.
Symptoms usually last for less than 2 months.
Is HAV chronic?
No, but ~15% of people infected with HAV have a prolonged or relapsing course of illness lasting as long as 6-9 months.
People who have had HAV cannot be re-infected
Can HBV be chronic?
Yes
HBV can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death.
Although chronic infection is more likely to develop in persons infected as infants or young children, rates of new infections and acute disease are highest in adults. Persons with chronic disease then serve as a reservoir for continued HBV transmission.
How is HBV spread?
Contaminated blood and body fluids enter the body of another person through an orifice, a break in the skin, or through mucus membranes. Also perinatally.
incl. razors and toothbrushes
NOT spread by contaminated water, food, eating utensils, casual contact, or breastfeeding. Does NOT cross the skin or the mucous membrane barrier… some break in this barrier is required for transmission.
Can HAV last for a long time outside the body?
Yes, months!
Killed by heating to 185 degrees F for one minute
How long does HBV survive outside the body?
at least 7 days
What is done in the event of exposure to HBV?
hepatitis B immune globulin and hepatitis B vaccine are given
What is the incubation period for HBV?
50-180 days.
During this period, the infectious virus appears in the blood, and it may appear in the feces and semen.
What are HBV symptoms
In the incubation period (50-180 days), the infection may be spread to other people even though no symptoms appear.
HBV early symptoms include chills, nausea, joint pains, rash, diarrhea. Typically these symptoms last from 2-6 weeks.
These symptoms are frequently followed by a period of extreme fatigue and depression that can extend for several months.
~30% of people have NO signs or symptoms. Infected children are often asymptomatic.
Only a blood test will tell whether an individual is infected with HBV.
How long are people infectious with HBV?
70% of people who have recovered from the symptomatic stage of the disease are still infectious for 3 months or more after symptoms have subsided.
Among infants who acquire HBV infection from their mothers are birth, up to 90% become chronically infected.
The older you are when infected, the lower the rate of chronic infection (30-50% of children vs. 5% of adults)
Can a provider with acute HBV practice acupuncture?
NO
should consult a physician before going back to work
Which is the most common chronic bloodborne viral infection in the US?
Hep C
How is HCV spread?
injection drug use or exposure to infected blood or blood products.
HCV can be transmitted through sexual contct, but risk is low. Risk increases for those with multiple sex partners, those with STDs, HIV, or engage in rough sex.
