Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B

Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B (hep A and hep B) are diseases which are each caused a sexually-transmitted virus. The viruses which cause these two diseases are not related, they just happen to cause similar illnesses which have similar symptoms.

Both hep A and B cause flu-like symptoms which progress into harsh malaise and finally jaundice (yellowing of eyes and skin). They both are associated with feces; however, feces often spread more easily than many people know. A person can somehow touch waste, and then thoroughly wash hands with soap, see clean hands, and still be contaminated with feces. Likewise, sexual activity involves body parts which are close to the anus, and they can become contaminated without anyone being aware of it.

Hep A and Hep B symptoms go away on their own, and usually do not require treatment. There is a vaccine available for both of these.
symptoms
About 3 weeks after contracting either Hep A or B, a person will begin to feel fatigue, stomach problems, and fever. It will seem like flu. With about a week, the person will not want to leave bed for 4-6 weeks. It probably will not be possible for the person to do any work or recreation during this period, although self-care will not be a problem.

In the last 2-3 weeks of symptoms, the person’s eyes will turn yellow and if light-skinned, the skin will turn more yellow also. If the sick person rests during this time, the illness almost always leaves on its own, and the person cannot get either hep A or B again (whichever one they had).

The word “hepatitis” is Greek language for “bad liver.” When the liver is hurt, a person feels no pain. Hepatitis A and B hurt the liver, and a person who gets either of these infections should not drink alcohol for at least 6 months after the infection goes away, or until a doctor advises otherwise.

spread

Hepatitis A and B can both spread through vaginal sex, but they especially spread through any physical contact of any kind with the anus. Physical contact of this sort can happen during sex without people being aware of it.

Like other blood-borne infections, both Hep A and Hep B can spread by sharing syringes or coming into contact with blood in any other way.

Hepatitis A can also spread through food. A person with Hep A, no matter how much they wash their hands, should not prepare food for other people.

Persons with Hep A or B are at greatly increased risk for both contracting and spreading HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Having any other STD greatly increases the risk of contracting Hep A or B.
treatment
There is a combination vaccine which can prevent both hepatitis A and B. For this vaccine to be effective, a person has to get it 3 times in 6 months. After that, the protection lasts for life. The vaccine is not affordable for many Indians.

There is no good treatment for people who already have hep A or B. These people should rest in bed for 4 weeks without going to work until they are better. They should not have alcohol during this time, because alcohol is extremely harmful when a person has any kind of hepatitis. Drinking alcohol at this time will cause permanent liver damage which cannot be treated.

A pregnant woman should seek medical advice to lower the likelihood of transmitting the virus to her baby during childbirth – it may not be necessary, but these viruses do have a chance to infecting the baby, and the baby will probably die if infected.