Viral Hepatitis and Vaccines (Franco Falcone) Flashcards
What is Hepatitis?
Inflammation of the liver with various causes such as trauma, alcohol abuse. drug induced toxicity or viral infection.
What is Liver Cirrhosis?
An advanced consequence of liver disease progression. It is characterised by fibrosis (tissue replaced with collagenous scars with no function) and regenerative nodules (attempts to repair damaged tissue).
What is a common complication of cirrhosis?
Ascites - fluid retention in the abdominal cavity
Which therapeutic option for liver cirrhosis is available?
Liver transplant is the only option because cirrhosis is irreversible.
How does fibrosis occur?
Fibroblasts produce collagen which leads to formation of scars - they have no function and as a result lead to liver function reduction and associated symptoms.
What is the cause of most hepatitis?
Viruses
What are the types of viruses that cause viral hepatitis?
Hep A, B, C, D, E
HAV HBV HCV HDV HEV
Viral hepatitis can also be caused by other viruses such as Adenovirus, SARS, Ebola, Influenza and others but these viruses mainly cause other symptoms.
What kind of infection do naked H viruses cause?
Naked viruses (HAV, HEV) lead to acute infections, whereas the enveloped viruses (HBV, HCV, HDV) cause persistent and chronic infections and have developed ways of evading immunity.
How does the type of virus (enveloped v naked) affect their transmission?
Naked: oral fecal
Enveloped: blood another body fluids
What are the symptoms of Hepatitis?
Jaundice / Icterus are the most characteristic of hepatitis symptoms.
Yellowing of the skin and eyes due to increased levels of bilirubin in the blood (a hemoglobin breakdown product).
Normally bilirubin is conjugated to form water soluble bilirubin diglucuronide in the healthy liver. In hepatitis this conjugation does not happen.
When is jaundice a less common symptom?
In children 14 y/o or <
Aside from jaundice, what are the other symptoms of hepatitis?
Fatigue Abdominal pain Loss of appetite Nausea and vomiting Dark urine
Is HAV chronic or acute?
Acute; self-limiting
*Can result in fulminant (lightning) hepatitis and death in a small proportion of patients.
What is a benefit of HAV once overcome?
Induces lifelong protection from reinfection
How is HAV spread?
Mainly oral-fecal route; occurs worldwide and increased risk in poorly sanitised places.
What is the structure of HAV like?
Non enveloped, SS(+)RNA
Spherical (pseudo-icosahedrical)
Classified within the picornavirus family.
Baltimore Group IV
VP1,2,3 are the polypeptides on the outer capsid
How long does HBV stay in the body?
1-3 months (acute HBV)
6 months + (chronic HBV is less common)
In 20-25% patients with chronic HBV have progressive liver disease, leading to cirrhosis and around 10% will develop to liver cancer.
How can HBV be transmitted?
Enveloped so transmitted in blood or body fluids
Sexually transmitted
Blood to blood contact (sharing needles or needle stick injuries)
Perinatal transmission from mother to child.