Viral Hepatitis Flashcards
Hepatitis A - Transmission
Faecal-oral
Poor hygiene/overcrowding
Some imported cases
Clusters = gay men, injecting drug users
Hepatitis A - Clinical
Acute hepatitis, no chronic infection
Peak incidence of symptomatic disease in children/younger adults
Usually ill for a few weeks then get better
Hepatitis A - Lab Conformation fo Acute Infection
Clotted blood for serology
Hepatitis A IgM (usually detectable from onset of disease)
Hepatitis A - Control
Hygiene
Vaccine prophylaxis
Hepatitis E - Clinical
Acute hepatitis, no chronic infection
Peak incidence of symptomatic disease in children/younger adults
Usually ill for a few weeks then get better
Some immunocompromised humans can become chronically infected
Hepatitis E - Incidence
More common in tropics
Has become more common than Hep A in UK
Hepatitis E - Transmission
Faecal-oral
UK cases are thought to be through zoonoses (esp. pigs, deer and rabbits)
Hepatitis E - Tropical Genotypes
In pregnant women, causes severe disease and likely death
Hepatitis E - Control
No vaccine available yet
Hepatitis D - Incidence
Can only infect those with Hep B
Exacerbates Hep B infection
Hepatitis D - Co Infection
Have Hep B and Hep D at the same time
Hepatitis D - Superinfection
Have Hep B, then go on to develop Hep D
Hepatitis B - Transmission
Sex
Mother to child
Blood
Hepatitis B - Higher Risk
People born in intermediate/high prevalence areas
Multiple sex partners
People who inject drugs
Children of infected mothers
Hepatitis B - HBsAg
Hepatitis B Surface Antigen
Present in the blood of all infected individuals
Chronic infection = present for >6 months
Hepatitis B - Clinical
Risk of chronic infection decreases with increasing age of exposure
Risk of acute hepatitis increases with age at exposure
Death is more likely to result from a chronic infection than an acute infection