Hepatitis Flashcards
what do hepatitis cause?
inflammation of the liver primarily
how does Hepatitis A spread?
faecal-oral
poor hygiene/overcrowding
Some cases imported
what groups does hepatitis A cluster in?
gay men
people who inject drugs
what are the clinical effects of hepatitis A?
acute hepatitis, no chronic infection
peak incidence of symptomatic disease in older children/young adults
what is the lab confirmation of acute infection of Hep A?
clotted blood for serology (gold top container)
- same sample for all causes of viral hepatitis
- Hep A IgM (detectable at onset of illness)
how is Hep A controlled?
hygiene vaccine prophylaxis (only for at risk - travel, risk groups)
where is Hep E most common?
tropics
has become more common then Hep A in the UK
what is Hep E like clinically?
like Hep A
how does Hep E spread?
faecal-oral
often zoonosis in the UK (eg infected pigs, rabbits, deer)
which hepatitis is a real concern in pregnant women?
Hep E genotype in tropics causes severe disease in pregnant women
who is more likely to get a chronic Hep E infection?
immunocompromised
normal people get acute
hep D only occurs in people with Hep B, true or false?
true
what is Hep D?
parasite of a parasite
exacerbates Hep B
rare in scotland
how is Hep B spread?
sex
mother to child at delivery
blood to blood contact
who is at a higher risk of Hep B in the UK?
people born in areas of intermediate/high prevalence (outside NW Europe)
multiple sexual partners
people who inject drugs
children of infected mothers
Hep B and hep C are spread similarly, true or false?
true
is there a Hep B vaccine?
yes
given to many children in first year of life
how does lab confirm hep B?
hep B surface antigen in blood (HBsAg)
- present for >6 months = chronic
- HBeAg = highly infectious individuals
- Hep B virus DNA = high titre in highly infectious individuals, predicts risk of chronic liver disease and monitors therapy
Hep B IgM most likely present in recently infected cases
Anti HBs present in immunity/vaccinated
does everyone with chronic infection have chronic liver disease?
no
what are the 4 phases of chronic infection?
immune tolerance immune clearance immune control immune escape complex and dynamic relationship between virus and immune system so test values (ALT, HBV DNA etc) rise and fall
how is Hep B controlled?
minimise exposure
- safe blood
- safe sex
- needle exchange
- prevent needlesticks
- screen pregnant women
2 pre-exposure vaccination strategies used:
- vaccinate all children born since August 2017
- vaccinate at risk older children and adults
Post-exposure prophylaxis (eg. after sex with infected)
- vaccine
- plus HBIG (hyperimmune hep B immunoglobulin)
can a vaccine prevent Hep B infection after sex with an infected person? How?
Yes
Long incubation period