Hepatitis is the same as inflammation of the liver and it is famed for jaundice among people. This disease can be made by being poisoned by the drugs, alcohol consumption, autoimmune disease, and viruses. Although there are different ways of getting infected in different types of hepatitis, the clinical symptoms of all kinds is almost the same.

The most important cause of hepatitis is virus. Viruses are tiny creatures that are transmitted from the patient person’s body to the healthy person. They need a living body in which they grow and reproduce. 6 kinds of hepatitis viruses have been found by now that the most common ones are hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E.

Hepatitis B:

It is most commonly transmitted through contact with blood or other body fluids of the patient. Its virus is found in blood, saliva and semen, and vaginal secretion and can be transmitted by injured skin and mucous membrane.  It can also be transmitted from mother to child during or after child delivery.

Disease incubation period is 30-180 days. The people at risk are: those who have blood transfusion or frequent blood products, hemodialysis and oncology patients, health unit employees, gay men, sexual contact with the patient, infected infant from the mother, intravenous drugs consumers, using shared syringe and people who do tattoos. Almost 10 percent of the patients become virus carrier and other probable symptoms including chronic hepatitis, acute liver failure, and liver cancer are shown in them.

Treatment:

In all kinds of hepatitis the treatment usually includes taking rest in bed and having a suitable diet. In hepatitis B the treatment is Interferon Alpha and Lamivudine and in chronic and incurable hepatitis the treatment is liver transplant.

Patient’s education tips:

• In case of anorexia or nausea, eat light meals and instead in multiple times and inform your doctor about weight loss more than 2.5 k.gs.
• Avoid using alcoholic foods, greasy foods, fast foods, oil, cake, chocolate, cookie, and biscuit.
• Avoid using alcohol in acute period of illness and 6 months later
• To stop anorexia feeling, use prescribed Anti-acid and anti-vomiting medicines
• Avoid using alcohol and drugs which affect liver such as Acetaminophen and anti-convulsion
• In case of dry mouth, take a sip of water frequently. Chewing without-sweet gum is also suggested for stimulation of saliva.
• Following oral hygiene, reducing sweet foods and drinks consumption, use of fluoride supplements once a day, using antimicrobial mouthwash, reducing and quitting smoking, regular dental examination to avoid tooth whitening and taking care of dentures are suggested.
• Avoid sexual intercourse or use protection device (condom).
• Healthy carriers should visit the doctor twice a year in the first year and then they can visit the doctor once a year for doing necessary tests.
• Inform the dentist about being positive when going to a dental clinic or lab

Prevention:

Teaching people at risk with the ways of transmitting the virus and the effective ways for preventing the spread of the disease. This disease (B and C hepatitis) virus is transmitted through blood products contacts with eye, nose, mouth, injured skin of healthy people, as well as from patient mother to infant, tattoos, cupping, sexual contact, non-sterile dental and medical supplies specifically non-sterile and shared syringe, brush teeth and blade.

This disease is not transmitted via kissing, going to pool, or shaking hand. Following personal hygiene is the base of infection control.

References:

1. 1. Managing your hepatitis B available (from: http//www.mdconsult.com/das/patient/body/chapter302)