Lab Diagnosis of Viral Hepatitis Infections

Question 1

Definition of hepatitis

Answer 1

Inflammation of the liver

Question 2

Symptoms of hepatitis

Answer 2

Fatigue 
Muscle pain 
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea 
Fever, chills 
Loss of appetite, weight loss 
Liver pain, enlargement 
Change in color of feces/urine 
Jaundice (due to increase in bilirubin)

Question 3

In general what are 3 causes of hepatitis

Answer 3

1. infectious agents
2. viruses
3. non-infectious causes

Question 4

2 infectious agents causes of hepatitis

Answer 4

parasites (tapeworms)

bacteria (typhoid fever)

Question 5

2 viruses causes of hepatitis

Answer 5

Cytomegalovirus

Epstein Barr Virus

Question 6

3 non-infectons causes of hepatitis

Answer 6

drugs, autoimmune diseases antibodies, alcoholism

Question 7

What are the Hepatitis Viruses

Answer 7

A, B, C, D, and E (and others)

Question 8

Which hepatitis viruses grow well in culture?

Answer 8

all are difficult/impossible to grow in cell culture

Question 9

How s diagnosis routinely approached>

Answer 9

Though detection of antibody or antigen in peripheral blood

Question 10

Hepatitis A (HAV)

• family
• RNA or DNA

Answer 10

Picornaviridae

RNA virus

Question 11

Hepatitis A (HAV)
- also known as (other name)

Answer 11

“infectious hepatits”

Question 12

Hepatitis A (HAV)
- incubation period

Answer 12

2-6 weeks (sometimes called short incubation hepatitis)

Question 13

Hepatitis A (HAV)
- how is it transmitted

Answer 13

fecal/oral (poor hygiene, oral-anal sex, eating undercooked shellfish, infected food handlers, children sharing)

Question 14

Hepatitis A (HAV)

• mortality rate?
• any chronic carriers?

Answer 14

• low mortality rate

- no chronic carriers

Question 15

Hepatitis A (HAV)
- vaccine?

Answer 15

yes available and effective

Question 16

Hepatitis A (HAV)
- Is it's antigen detected in the peripheral blood?

Answer 16

NO, it is shed in the feces, but shedding ceases when symptoms become apparent

Question 17

Hepatitis B (HBV)

• family?
• DNA or RNA

Answer 17

Hepadnaviridae family

DNA virus

Question 18

Hepatitis B (HBV)
- other name

Answer 18

serum hepatitis

Question 19

Hepatitis B (HBV)
- incubation period

Answer 19

6 weeks to 6 months; sometimes called long incubation hepatitis

Question 20

Hepatitis B (HBV)

• how is it transmitted
• mortality rate?
• chronic carrier?

Answer 20

• parenteral transmission (much more highly infectious than HIV)
• high mortality rate
• frequent chronic carriers

Question 21

Hepatitis B (HBV)
- Vaccine?

Answer 21

Immunization widely avaliable and effective (dramatically reduced incidence of infection in the U.S.

Question 22

Hepatitis B (HBV)
-

Answer 22

*

Question 23

Hepatitis B (HBV)

Answer 23

*

Question 24

Hepatitis C (HCV)

• Family
• DNA or RNA

Answer 24

• Flavivirdae

- RNA virus

Question 25

Hepatitis C (HCV) 
- other name

Answer 25

For many years, called non-A, non-B hepatitis

Question 26

Hepatitis C (HCV) 
- incubation period

Answer 26

6 - 10 weeks

Question 27

Hepatitis C (HCV) 
- transmission?

Answer 27

parenteral

Question 28

Hepatitis C (HCV) 
- what percentages of people develop chronic infection?

Answer 28

75%

Question 29

Hepatitis C (HCV) 
- Algorithm for HCV Antibody Screen

Answer 29

• If the antibody screen is positive do an RNA molecular test. If that test is positive then it is acute or chronic HCV
• If the antibody screen test is positive then do an RNA molecular test. If that test is negative then stop or do 2nd HCV antibody test to see if it is a false positive

Question 30

What testing is used to monitor therapy and disease progression after HCV infections confirmed?

Answer 30

Quantitative testing

Question 31

Hepatitis D

- What is it classified as?

Answer 31

a “dependo” virus

Question 32

Hepatitis D

- transmission

Answer 32

parenteral transmission

Question 33

Hepatitis D

- incubation period

Answer 33

uncertain

Question 34

Hepatitis D

- Associated with with what?

Answer 34

Hepatitis B

Question 35

Hepatitis E

- how is it transmitted?

Answer 35

fecal/oral route

Question 36

Hepatitis E

- Disease is mild except in who?

Answer 36

pregnant women

- may be fatal or cause abortion of the fetus