Hepatitis

Question 1

Does Hepatitis A cause an acute or chronic infection?

Answer 1

Always acute- there is no risk of chronic liver disease

Question 2

How is Hepatitis A spread?

Answer 2

Via the faecal oral route

Question 3

What Hepatitis A test positive indicates an acute infection?

Answer 3

anti-HAV IgM

Question 4

Is there a vaccine for Hepatitis A?

Answer 4

Yes- it is usually only given to at risk people

Question 5

Does Hepatitis B cause an acute or chronic infection?

Answer 5

It can cause both, chronic infection is more likely to occur if the individual is infected in childhood. Acute is more likely to occur in adults.

Question 6

How is Hepatitis B spread?

Answer 6

Unprotected sex with infected person, mother to child or infected blood transfusions

Question 7

What are complications of Hepatitis B?

Answer 7

Can get chronic infection leading to cirrhosis which could then result in liver failure or hepatocellular carcinoma

Question 8

Is there a vaccine for Hepatitis B?

Answer 8

Yes- starting to be given to everyone, but lots of adults have missed out

Question 9

How can chronic Hepatitis B be managed?

Answer 9

Managed by antivirals e.g. peginterferon, entecavir or tenofovir

Peginterferon is the only one that properly cures- the rest only suppress

Question 10

Does Hepatitis C cause a chronic or acute infection?

Answer 10

Most people are infected chronically

Question 11

How is Hepatitis C usually picked up?

Answer 11

Many people are asymptomatic and are picked up on an abnormal blood test

Question 12

How is Hepatitis C transmitted?

Answer 12

Unprotected sex with infected person, mother to child or infected blood transfusions

Question 13

Complications of chronic Hep C?

Answer 13

Over decades you get gradual fibrosis leading to cirrhotic liver, ultimately risk of cancer and or liver failure

Question 14

Is there a vaccine for hepatitis C?

Answer 14

No

Question 15

How is chronic hepatitis C treated?

Answer 15

Managed by antivirals e.g. peginterferon, entecavir or tenofovir

Peginterferon is the only one that properly cures- the rest only suppress

Question 16

Another name for hepatitis D?

Answer 16

Delta virus

Question 17

What is hepatitis D activated by?

Answer 17

Activated by hepatitis B it cannot replicate on its own

Question 18

How is diagnosis of Hepatitis D achieved?

Answer 18

Finding anti-delta antibody in patient with chronic liver disease who is also HBsAg- positive

Question 19

Complications of Hepatitis D/ outcome?

Answer 19

There is much more rapid cirrhosis in patients than in those just infected with hepatitis B

Question 20

What strain is Hepatitis E similar to?

Answer 20

Hepatitis A

Question 21

Where is hepatitis E more common? What are UK infection thought to be from?

Answer 21

More common in the tropics- UK infections are thought to be from zoonoses (pigs)

Question 22

What people can get chronic Hepatitis E infection?

Answer 22

Immunocompromised

Question 23

Is there a vaccine for hepatitis E?

Answer 23

No

Question 24

If someone is positive for Hepatitis B surface antigen

HBsAg

What does this mean?

Answer 24

The person is infected- it could be acute or chronic

Question 25

If someone is positive for Hepatitis B core antibody

HBcAb

What does this mean?

Answer 25

The person has been infected in the past but is not necessarily immune

Question 26

If someone is positive for Hepatitis B surface antibody

HBsAb

What does this mean?

Answer 26

Person has immunity through vaccine or natural infection

Question 27

If someone is positive for Hepatitis B virus DNA

HBV DNA

What does this mean?

Answer 27

This is a measure. The higher the score the larger the amount of virus, this basically shows how active the virus is, how much it is multiplying.