Hepatitis
The disease known by the name hepatitis often develops from a virus infection-the main symptoms of the condition is severe inflammation in the liver. There are two forms of the condition, an acute form and a chronic form; the acute form of the condition responds better to treatment with conventional remedies. As a condition, hepatitis is brought about in the body by a group of six viruses, often classified as A, B, C, D, E, F, and G forms. The most common infection occurs from the hepatitis A, which is also highly contagious and is rapidly transmitted. This form of the condition does not cause long lasting damage but it does produce very acute flu like symptoms in the body of the affected individual. Very few or no symptoms at all are produced during hepatitis B and C, though the infection itself often lingers for years at a stretch. However, these forms of the condition can in some cases cause irreversible liver scarring or cirrhosis and even bring about liver cancer in the affected individual. The occurrence of the types D, E, and G hepatitis is rare and these forms do not cause as much damage due to their rarity. The most serious consequence of any form of hepatitis is felt by the liver, the disease impairs the livers ability to process
sugars and carbohydrates obtained from the diet, it also disrupts the body’s ability to secrete the fat-digesting compound bile, and lastly it impairs the ability of the liver to rid the body of accumulated toxins and metabolic waste products. Because of their potential to cause terminal liver failure, the chronic forms of hepatitis infection are considered to be the most serious and dangerous.
Hepatitis A infects a person through contaminated food or water; it is also contracted through blood transfusions, and via infected hypodermic needles. Types B and C are contracted through sexual intercourse between an infected individual and an uninfected person, on the whole most cases of hepatitis are caused by a viral infection transmitted by various means from one person to another. Hepatitis can also come about through unregulated use of certain classes of medications, via toxic chemicals, and from years of alcohol abuse which has weakened the liver. The presence of an autoimmune disorder or dysfunction-in which the immune system attacks the body's own tissues can also result in hepatitis like conditions in rare cases. No immediate cause can be determined for hepatitis infections in some cases.
Hepatitis A
This form of the hepatitis is the most common in occurrence and is also considered the least dangerous form of the condition; this is the first form of the virus which was identified as the causative pathogen for hepatitis. The virus that causes hepatitis A is a food borne virus, resembling the poliovirus closely and structurally with just one bare strand of RNA enclosed inside a 20-sided shell. The virus can replicate itself only within the cells of the liver after it has infected a person. It is mainly contracted from food or water contaminated with feces and it infects only humans and a few closely related primates. This form of the hepatitis virus was formerly known as the "infectious hepatitis”. The hepatitis A virus is fairly common in occurrence.
The viral infection seems to occur in epidemiological cycles though there is no typical "season" for hepatitis A infection.
The demographic group most likely to be affected by the illness includes school-age children and young adults and the disease is considered a disease contracted from poor hygienic practices and dirty places. Thus the prevalence of this form of the hepatitis infection in overcrowded areas in many developed countries and in the majority of developing countries is around 90 percent or more. Many 10 year old children become healthy carriers of the virus and are thus immune as adults even though infected. Immunity from the infection is estimated at 40 percent among all healthy adults in the United States. This immunity is a direct result of previous infection during childhood and all such individuals have an immunity that lasts for life.
The condition has been known since ancient times and records of the symptoms of infection from the virus exist from 400 B.C., when it is believed to have afflicted armies in almost every war. The infection resulting from this form of hepatitis is believed to have a role in Napoleon's defeat in the wars of the 19th century. Hepatitis A has also been known variously as the epidemic hepatitis or epidemic jaundice, the catarrhal jaundice, the infectious icterus, Botkins disease and MS-1 hepatitis at various times and different places.
Viruses are separated into different classes or groups, and the hepatitis A virus is included in the ENTEROVIRUS GROUP of the picornaviruses, other viruses in this group include the poliovirus which causes polio, the COXSACKIEVIRUS, the ECHOVIRUS, and the RHINOVIRUS. The transmission of the hepatitis A is thus through contamination of spread food or drinking water with the hepatitis A virus or (HAV) in short, this virus passes into the stool and once such stools contaminate water or food-they pass along viral particles which infect the new host.
The hepatitis A virus thus gains entry into the body via the mouth, once it enters the body it begin to multiply at a very speedy rate, some of these viral particles are of course passed off again in the feces-thus repeating the cycle. Normally once the virus is in the feces, the viral particles can be carried or passed on to the person's hands and from there it can spread by direct contact, such unclean hands on a person handling food and drinks for others may spread the virus. The hepatitis A virus can affect any person; however, children are the most likely demographic group to be affected by the condition. Transmission of the condition is through close personal contact between family members for the majority of patients, and from sexual partners-particularly with regard to homosexual men, and the disease is also easily contracted in areas such as nursery schools and child care centers.
The virus that causes hepatitis A is very resistant and spreads around very easily. The virus is adapted to staying active for more than a month at room temperature on places such as kitchen countertops, on the surface of children's toys, and on other surfaces-this is in great contrast to other viruses which perish very quickly. When kept in frozen foods and ice, the virus can be maintained viable for an indefinite period of time. All food preparations and dishes must be heated up to 185 degrees F for a minute so as to inactivate the virus and prevent infection.
The disease can easily be transmitted by contaminated the hands of a food handler or a food server who has hepatitis A-this is especially true if he or she touches the food eaten raw-example are sandwiches or salads. Hepatitis A is also known to be abundant in well water, especially water, that has been contaminated by improperly treated or raw sewage-this is very relevant as the hepatitis A virus is known to exist for a long time in water and in damp places. The presence of hepatitis A in water is very difficult to detect even when using very high quality techniques. Those not at risk from infection through contaminated water include all individuals who use treated municipal or those who use water sourced from the county water supplies.
The consumption of raw or undercooked foods, example-shellfish, especially oysters can cause hepatitis A, if these have been raised in water contaminated by the virus. Water contaminated with the hepatitis A virus can infect shellfish and the virus can concentrate in the shellfish because shellfish filter large amounts of water at any given time-eating such foods will almost certainly lead to infection. This is illustrated by a real life example that occurred in Florida in 1988, when 61 people who ate raw oysters illegally taken from contaminated waters came down with the hepatitis A. eating raw shellfish remains as a minor risk factor for contracting hepatitis A, even if the shellfish is sourced from area under federal water quality regulations and the posting of contaminated water notices, may offer some protection.
No obvious symptoms of the disease are apparent in at least a quarter of all people affected by the hepatitis A virus at any one time. Compared to adults, most infants and very young children suffer very mild cases in general, and up to three quarters of affected children show no symptoms at all, while the rest have a very low but persistent fever and may ache all over the body, symptoms of jaundice are however rare. Children are however major carriers of the disease and are one of the most likely sources of new infections for adults.
Hepatitis A symptoms are much more severely felt by older patients, here the disease is characterized by an incidence o fever that can raise the body temperature to 100 or up to 104 degrees F, physical symptoms include extreme tiredness and fatigue, physical weakness is one of the most noticeable signs. Patients also tend to develop persistent nausea, and are affected by a stomach upset, there is a constant and persistent pain along the upper right side of the stomach, a significant loss of appetite is also almost always present. The skin develops a yellowish tinge and the whites of the eyes also turn yellow in color within a few days from the appearance of the first signs of infection. The stool of the affected person turns very light in color-while the urine is much darker than usual. Adults and all persons above twelve years of age may become very sick for a week or two at this stage from the appearance of initial symptoms. The condition of patients tends to improve when the first signs of jaundice have appeared and progressively gets better from this stage onwards. Most affected individuals recover within a few weeks without the incidence of major complications and the disease itself is very rarely fatal.
Once the virus enters the body, it incubates for sometime; typically this incubation period lasts from 15 to 50 days in different patients. All patients with hepatitis A are at their most infectious in the first two weeks before the full development and manifestation of the symptoms. Therefore patients infected by the virus must make sure that they do not spread the virus especially if they handle food as a part of their job-they should not work until they cross the infectious stages, this stage is crossed one week after the first time symptoms of jaundice becomes apparent in the body.
Trails of a new vaccine were carried out in 1996 in the United States, this vaccine was said to be a 100 percent effective in dealing with the condition following the single primary dose. Other vaccine tested earlier, ensured that at least 99 percent of people in the vaccine studies achieved immunity following two doses. This vaccine requires a booster shot between 6 and 12 months after the first dose so as to maintain proper immunity from the virus.
Precautionary measures go a long way in preventing infections from unnecessarily occurring, for example all childcare workers in child care centers, who handle diapers, must follow strict rules-they must frequently wash their hands and must follow careful procedures when changing diapers.
Contaminated food can be cooked to kill the virus before it is consumed. For example, to eat shellfish sourced from contaminated waters, it must be well cooked or boiled for at least eight minutes using high flame.
Infection can also be prevented by those who have been exposed to the hepatitis A virus, by being shot with a dose of the immune globulin (IG). This protein is collected human blood plasma rich in protective antibodies that can fight against the disease and prevent symptoms from occurring.
Shots of the IG is necessary for the following groups of people:
shots must be given to all members of a household with an individual suffering from hepatitis A and this also applies to sex partners of hepatitis A affected individuals. These shots should also be given to close friends of an infected school-age child who may meet them on a daily basis. All staff in restaurant staffers where one food handler has hepatitis A must also be given these shots. This also applies to all patrons of the restaurant who must be given shots of IG two weeks following exposure to a food handler affected with the hepatitis A, especially if he or she handles uncooked food and has poor hygienic practices while serving and also otherwise if he or she is suffering from diarrhea. Shots must be given to the entire staff and residents of all places such as prisons, institutions and homes, if two or more residents have hepatitis A at any given time. Shots must also be given to the entire staff of child care centers or homes, especially when it is found that one or more children or one or more employees have developed a hepatitis A infection. All family members and other children must be given shots of IG in a home environment when three or more children or their other family members have hepatitis A. All individuals traveling to developing countries must be given these shots, especially if they have never been immunized against the condition.
Hepatitis B
This form of the hepatitis disorder is the most commonly occurring of all known infectious disease in the United States and was previously known by the name serum hepatitis. Structurally and functionally this form of the virus is much more complex than the hepatitis A virus. It leads to a total destruction of liver tissue and is at least a 100 times more contagious when compared to the AIDS virus.
In the human body, the blood is the main fluid in which the hepatitis B virus-HBV accumulates, the HBV is also found in abundance within the saliva, the seminal fluid, and in other bodily fluids. Hepatitis B is very similar in its mode of transmission to the HIV virus that causes AIDS; however, it is much more contagious compared to the HIV virus. Millions of viral particles of the hepatitis B may be present in a single drop of infected blood in the body of a hepatitis B patient. However, casual contact is not sufficient to spread the hepatitis B virus. To cause the symptoms of the disease to appear in an individual, particles of the virus must enter a person's blood. Entry is made through unprotected sexual contact where exchange of body fluids occurs; infection is also done via blood transfusions, and from dirty needles, or even from the sharing of contaminated toothbrushes, razors, and even household utensils used on a daily basis. This virus is very resistant to stress and structurally stable and it can remain viable even on dried surfaces-such as thorns or stones for days on end at a stretch. Among all infected patients, more than half of all cases are linked to unprotected sexual intercourse with affected partners.
Accidental pricks from a contaminated needle, lab accidents involving splashing blood has resulted in many health care workers coming down with an infection of the hepatitis B virus. In another related profession, many dentists are infected by an affected patient and then have gone on themselves to spread the virus to other patients inadvertently. The chances of infection for a health care worker who has received an accidental needle prick from a needle used on a patient with the hepatitis B virus lies somewhere from 6 percent to 30 percent. In direct contrast, the comparative chances of contracting the HIV virus in this way are only about 0.5 percent during accidents.
During pregnancy infected mothers might possibly pass the virus to their babies, this transmission of the virus may occur if it does in the final three months of the pregnancy term, it can also happen during the delivery stage, and also during the nursing stage. If the disease affects the mother only during the early stages of pregnancy, then the chances of passing on the infection to the child is minimized to a great extent. To prevent this sort of transmission from occurring, all pregnant women must be tested for possible hepatitis B infection.
The chronic form of hepatitis B has infected many millions of people living around the world. These groups of people are very good carriers of the disease and can easily transmit the virus to others-in contrast to those who are affected only by the hepatitis A. the virus can bring about eventual liver cancer in a patient, this viral cause of cancer is therefore considered to be the most common form of cancers of this type.
It takes only six weeks for the symptoms of hepatitis A to arrive, however, even six months may pass from date of initial exposure before symptoms of hepatitis B appear in a person affected by the virus. In addition, a substantial number of patients develop very few symptoms as such. The symptoms of this form of the virus are evident in a very subtle way if they do appear, they arrive gradually and can be seen in a general tiredness, some nausea, and problems like joint and muscle aches, the upper right side of the stomach can be affected by a mild abdominal pain, the person may also have a very poor appetite, and problems such as hives or rash may also be evident, in addition to these symptoms, the person may also suffer from a mild diarrhea lasting from three to ten days. In approximately half of those infected patients, these initial symptoms will be followed by jaundice. Some symptoms like nausea are generally not seen during hepatitis B infections and are more apparent during infection from hepatitis A. during infection with the hepatitis B, the other symptoms that may sometimes become evident include the production of light-colored stools, the darkening of urine, and a persistent itchy sensation in the skin. These symptoms may disappear following the appearance of the jaundice. In addition, many infants who contract the virus from their mothers may develop no symptoms initially, however, they remain at high risk for developing cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer in the second decade of life-thus the effects may long after infancy.
Among all infected patients approximately one third does not suffer seriously. The other third of patients on the other hand may develop no symptoms at all after infection. All in all, if there are no evident symptoms, the person is much more likely to become a carrier, unaware that he or she is infected. There is also an increased chance of liver cirrhosis in about 25 percent of carriers, who may not suffer chronic symptoms at all. It may take a few of them several weeks to overcome serious illness caused by the infection. In addition, severe illness is also likely to affect those over 40 years of age. Most children infected by the virus develop few or no symptoms at all.
It may take several weeks in advance before the appearance of the first symptoms, for populations of the hepatitis B virus to be found in all blood and body fluids, in some cases several months may pass before these become apparent. The disappearance of the disease is indicated by the sudden appearance of certain antibodies-one these appear, it can be said that the symptoms have run their course. While not appearing to be ill themselves, all individuals who are chronic carriers-which is about 10 percent of all those infected-will always remain infectious. In all cases, recovery from the symptoms endows life long immunity to a patient.
Infection from the hepatitis B is preventable by a few precautionary measures; however, because of lack of basic preventive measures thousands of people around the world continue to become infected with the disease every year. Blood plasma was the raw material for the manufacture of the vaccine introduced in 1983 to combat infections. After this, another vaccine manufactured using synthetic products was introduced. Finally a third synthetic vaccine was introduced in 1991 to combat hepatitis B. Three doses of the last two vaccines are normally required to being immunity from infection. This vaccine must be given to all people likely to be exposed to the virus, this includes all medical and nursing personnel who act as caregivers, in addition all other individuals at risk must be vaccinated. Vaccination of all infants was suggested using these vaccines as of November 1991. Vaccine booster shots are currently not suggested as far as these vaccines are concerned.
The side effects from the hepatitis B vaccine seem to be minimal unlike those that can occur with other vaccines. The only noticeable side effects if it is present seem to be a slight localized reaction limited to soreness on the site of the injection and a slight fever may also be apparent at times.
Individuals who have never been immunized may receive immune globulin HBIG to achieve 90 percent protection from symptoms if they are exposed for the first time, this can be achieved if they receive the initial dose within seven days from time of exposure and following this time period, hepatitis B vaccine can be started in concurrent series. The HBIG vaccine is given to all babies within 12 hours after birth if the mother is infected. At the same time, the vaccine series must be started for effective prevention from infection.
To prevent the spread of infection to people they live or work with all known carriers of the virus should follow some standard hygienic procedures. It is important for known carriers of the virus not to share razors, toothbrushes, or any other object, which stands a good chance of becoming contaminated with the blood of the carrier. All sexual partners and household members of a carrier must undergo immunization using the hepatitis B vaccine to prevent infection. At all times known carriers must inform their dentist and other health care providers of their status as carriers.
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C comes across as a rather mysterious blood-borne type of hepatitis, which can remain quietly in the body for years on end without producing apparent symptoms, this form of the hepatitis was identified in 1988 by researchers, and it was called the non-A and non-B type hepatitis.
The majority of patients remain unaware of being infected until the virus starts to attack the liver causing serious complications. Most treatments will not induce any significant changes in the condition of the patients, and many people don't know where or even how they contracted the virus-this is even after diagnosis has confirmed the presence of the condition. While both related conditions of hepatitis A and B can be prevented through vaccination, this disease is considered much more dangerous and vaccination may not help.
Sickness does not necessarily follow for everyone affected by the hepatitis C virus. But it is estimated that at least a third of those suffering from chronic hepatitis C will eventually develop either cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer in due course. Furthermore approximately more than half of all infected patients will become carriers, in addition to this, 20 percent of these carriers themselves will develop cirrhosis of the liver-this is a very serious disorder of the liver tissues. Hepatitis C is believed to be the most common form of viral hepatitis in the United States and as many as 4 million Americans which is about 1 in every 60 people may be affected-the actual numbers of patients remains unknown.
Some recent trends have been worrying, in that the actual number of newly diagnosed patients is rising-these are patients who may have been infected a long time ago. These results are especially seen among baby boomers who were IV-drug abusers at some time in their past. In addition, 30 percent of the HCV-infected population consists of intravenous drug users. According to experts the lethal virus ultimately almost always ends up affecting such intravenous drug users.
Treatments that utilize human blood during the process such as IV-drug use, blood transfusion procedures, and techniques like kidney dialysis are the main ways in which hepatitis C is transmitted. In fact this mode of transfusion is the major source for all post-transfusion hepatitis C infections. In comparison, his risk of infection from sexual transmission is minimal at most. The risk of spreading hepatitis C by casual contact, while eating tainted food, or from coughing or sneezing appears to be minimal and there is no evidence where the virus has been transmitted in this way. An infected mother may pass the disease on to her new born baby in some rare cases. Infected individuals remain contagious for years on end as the virus remains in their bloodstream all the time to emerge suddenly.
The virus that causes yellow fever is related to the hepatitis C virus.
Illness such as symptomatic loss of appetite, severe physical fatigue, nausea and vomiting, along with stomach pain, and jaundice within two weeks to six months from date of exposure will affect approximately 25 percent of all patients. Symptoms typically begin to manifest themselves within two months from time of infection. Chronic liver disease is also likely to affect another fifty percent of these patients at some time as the infection progresses.
Hepatitis D
The hepatitis virus D-or the HDV infects about 15 million people around the world, though it is not common in the United States. The frequency of infection from the HDV is correlated to infection from the hepatitis B virus, as the presence of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is necessary to produce infection and other symptoms in the patient. The relationship between these two viruses is clearly seen in some parts of southern Italy, in some regions of the Russian republic, and in some parts of Romania, where more than 20 percent of HBV carriers, who display no symptoms along with more than 60 percent of chronic liver disease patients because of HBV also show infection from the hepatitis D virus. Thus these viruses occur together and symptoms may be related.
The use of contaminated needles is the major way in which the hepatitis D virus is spread around and this form of transmission occurs largely among the IV-drug abusers and to people who have exposure to blood products. Transmission through direct blood contact is much more important than sexual transmission as far as the hepatitis D virus is concerned and the sexual mode of transmission is less efficient than it is for the transmission of the hepatitis B virus. Even so many demographic groups of individuals such as the non-IV-drug-using male homosexuals, the majority of female prostitutes, and all institutionalized mentally retarded people remain at high risk for developing hepatitis D and the subsequent symptoms.
The actual transmission of the hepatitis D virus from an infected mother to unborn child yet to be documented in the United States-though this possibility is known to occur in other countries around the world, especially the developing countries.
The hepatitis D virus cannot be structurally distinguished from the other types or forms of the hepatitis virus. The presence of the hepatitis D virus has to be investigated by the development of a new episode of acute hepatitis in patients already known to have chronic hepatitis B infection-in other words, the presence of one virus and its symptoms should be a good clue to the presence of the other virus.
The antibodies for HDV may be detected in patients who have acute hepatitis B infections. Diagnosis of the presence of the virus is conducted by detecting the HDV antigen in biopsies of the liver tissues or from the presence of other antibodies in the blood of patients.
In addition, the hepatitis D virus can be prevented by the vaccine for the hepatitis B virus. That is a hepatitis B infection of the body is required for an infection of hepatitis D to take place.
Hepatitis E
This form of the hepatitis virus occurs primarily in underdeveloped countries around the world, it is structurally very hard to distinguish from the hepatitis A virus symptomatically or otherwise. Contaminated drinking water is the major cause of transmission of this virus. And the hepatitis E spreads both in epidemic and sporadic outbreaks where safe drinking water is not easily available. This is considered major water borne condition and epidemic outbreaks have occurred in Asia, North Africa, and East Africa in recent years.
The demographic group that the disease is most likely to afflict is young to middle-aged adults around the ages of 15 and 40. In addition, very high fatalities have been reported among affected pregnant women as a demographic group, these individuals are the susceptible to the more severe manifestation of the disease. Recording extremely high rates of serious symptoms and death from the condition.
This form of the condition is more commonly referred as the enterically transmitted non-A and non-B hepatitis, alternately it has also been called the fecal-oral non-A and non-B form of hepatitis or sometimes the A-like and non-A or non-B form of viral hepatitis. There are a lot of chances for mistaking it for hepatitis C, which has also been called the parentally transmitted non-A and non-B or the B-like or non-A non-B form of hepatitis.
The fecal-oral route is the normal mode of transmission of the hepatitis E virus. It is also highly water borne and easily passes to people who drink contaminated water. The other major way in which the virus is transmitted includes the person-to-person route. This form of the virus can also be potentially transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food especially in under developed countries.
The typical symptoms include the appearance of malaise, a condition similar psychologically to anorexia, persistent abdominal pain, and sudden fever which suddenly arise in the affected individual two to nine weeks after initial infection. The manifestations and symptoms of the condition are not very serious and they slowly disappear within two weeks from initial time of infection. Lethality is not very high, and among all patients who have this form of the condition, less than one percent of non-pregnant patients will move on to developing fatal fulminant hepatitis. The story is different for pregnant women, where the fatality rate can rise to as much as 20 percent of all patients.
The best and most effective preventive measures are proper sanitation of living space and an upkeep of personal hygiene at all times. No conventional vaccine exist for this condition at the present time, also unclear is whether the incidence of hepatitis E infection can confer lifelong immunity to the person who has been infected for the first time.
Hepatitis F
This form of the hepatitis virus has been identified in France, where it was found occurring in a few cases of hepatitis. French researchers have succeeded in passing on the infection to primates during animal experimentation. Very little is known about this form of the virus and its epidemiology. It requires further scientific investigations.
Hepatitis G
The virus that causes the hepatitis G forms of the condition was first identified in the 1996; it is one of the “alphabet” types of viral diseases. It does not cause any considerable chronic symptoms in the affected individual and only causes a mild acute hepatitis of no clinical significance. This does not mean that the overall effect of the infection and the virus’s underlying effects on the liver and on the individual's overall health over the long period of time are fully known. It is very similar structurally and symptomatically to the virus that causes hepatitis C, thus the hepatitis G virus is also called the hepatitis GB virus C or HGBV-C more commonly. The hepatitis G is included in a group of viruses known as flaviviruses. Its infection is usually related and occurs along with an infection of the hepatitis B or the C viruses. Though the hepatitis G virus infection occurs along with an infection of the hepatitis B or C, symptoms from both of these are not necessarily aggravated by its presence in the body.
Five subtypes of the hepatitis G have been identified. These subtypes differ depending on the part of the country they occur in. Its origin is believed to be from blood contaminated with a monkey virus. This monkey virus was transmitted primarily from one monkey to another until an infection was passed to humans; this is the probable way in which the virus started infecting humans. Human blood in countries such as the United States and Canada in North America, Peru in South America, and the African state of Egypt and Western Africa, and the continent of Europe have shown the incidence of this form of the hepatitis virus. In addition to this, approximately 1.5 percent of Japanese hepatitis patients who are not affected by the A and E forms are thought to be infected with the G virus. Added to this fact, approximately 18 percent of West African hepatitis patients have the same hepatitis virus in their blood samples.
Carriers for the virus can also be found among otherwise healthy people in the United States, research suggests that the G virus has been present in the nation's blood supply as long as 25 ago. Undetected hepatitis G infections may account for at least 1 and 2 percent of the nation's blood donors suggest expert, this figure is much higher than the rate of infection from either the hepatitis B or C form.
Hepatitis G virus is the only identified virus in 0.3 percent of hepatitis cases among all recognized community-acquired acute viral hepatitis cases, according to the statistics. Contaminated blood was thought to be the only way in which this particular strain of viral hepatitis was thought to be transmitted earlier. The case for sexual transmission of this virus is now certain and this virus is sexually transmitted in a number of cases. In addition, scientific research conducted in Sweden and Honduras have suggested that there exists a very high rate of infection among healthy individuals from this virus even among those who did not show all the risk factors-such risk factors or behaviors include intravenous drug use and the blood transfusion for people affected with hemophilia. The possibility of a sexual route for the transmission was suggested by researchers who linked the high rates of infection in homosexual men and in sexually active healthy volunteers. Transmission from an infected mother to unborn child is also known to occur as far as the HGV is concerned; the virus in such cases is usually passed on to the child during childbirth. At the present time, the presence of other routes for the transmission from mother to child is also suspected, though these routes for the passage of the HGV have as yet not been identified.
People who are repeatedly exposed to blood or blood products, including hemophiliacs, people on hemo-dialysis and intravenous drug users all show an increased prevalence of the hepatitis G genetic material in their blood and the incidence of this form of hepatitis is the greatest in this demographic group. While it is known that many other modes of transmission exists and are indeed very possible-these have not been satisfactorily identified nor have they been documented as yet.
In addition to the above facts, it is also believed that approximately 10 to 20 percent of all hepatitis accounting for the total community-acquired hepatitis and transfusion related hepatitis are not caused by the major hepatitis viruses-which are the A, B, C, D, or E forms. Thus non-A to E hepatitis may well be accounted for by the hepatitis G virus infections, this is suggested by research and recent identification of patients affected by the hepatitis G virus. The infection from this virus is also 25 percent identical to the infection caused by the hepatitis C virus. The greatest chance exists that the hepatitis G virus is the one responsible for all non A to E hepatitis cases, provided that other causes like the hepatitis C have not been identified at the same time.
Researchers who have studied this virus also believe that the virus may remain dormant in the body for years on end after a person has been infected, and symptoms if any may not be apparent at all in such cases. Liver damage may eventually be brought about the virus after many years spent replicating in the liver tissue-some research has pointed to this distinct possibility. Liver failure has been linked by many Japanese studies to infections with the hepatitis G virus-especially where the patients were known to be hepatitis affected individuals.
The ability to screen blood for the hepatitis G virus is not possessed by the majority of blood banks in the United States. For this very reason, this virus poses a big threat to the nation's blood supply, and this is a fact that is of great importance to national health initiatives. In addition to this, it is known that at least certain healthy blood donors may have dormant hepatitis G viral particles in their blood, and this is a serious issue as the transmission of this virus through blood transfusion has been documented in many patients. This leads to the issue of screening again, where commercial test are still not available for screening this particular form of the hepatitis virus. While it may not be able to identify current infection in a person, the
antibody testing methods for this virus, as and when it becomes available, will be of extreme value in dealing with the epidemic. While most underlying infections from the hepatitis G virus still seem largely benign, screenings will still be important as the blood donors already infected with hepatitis B or C will be excluded from donating blood.
Supplements and herbs
As far as the more lethal chronic form of hepatitis is concerned, the use of conventional medicines has achieved only limited success and modest success in the treatment of hepatitis. All of the natural supplements and herbs that are given here are intended to function in the supplementary supportive role and will help protect and strengthen the liver, while boosting the general immunity and resistance in the body of the affected person. Till such times as symptoms felt during acute hepatitis disappear, these supplements must be used along with the conventional medications, in a supportive capacity. It will take up to a week for the benefits to become noticeable in the patient. The long term use of these supplements is suggested for the treatment of all chronic hepatitis cases.
The liver can be strengthened by supplements of the vitamin C and vitamin E, these powerful antioxidants taken together will help protect the liver cells from damage caused by free radicals released in the body-these two vitamins act together to bolster the body’s immune system functioning. Antioxidant protection is also given by the nutritional supplement alpha-lipoic acid, the use of this particular supplement will also increase the potency of both vitamins within the body-it will thus increase their effectiveness. The liver is also protected by herbal supplements of the milk thistle; this supplement will also promote the growth of new liver cells and will generally boost liver function in the patient.
The antioxidant and antiviral properties of the licorice can also be utilized to effectively protect the liver-this herb contains many compounds which have both antiviral and antioxidant properties, the root of the dandelion herb can also be used to great effect in this way. The dandelion is also available in the form of a liver-detoxifying combination product-a lipotropic combination, which is fortified by additions of the B vitamins, the compound choline and inositol, as well as herbal extracts of the milk thistle. The liver is helped by this herbal combination, it speeds the flow of bile and eliminates cell-damaging toxins from the liver-it thus strengthens liver tissue functioning.
Additional things you may do
When traveling in countries or areas where the sanitary conditions are poor, it is very important to carefully regulate the things that you eat and drink-this is especially true if the disease rates in such areas are high. In such cases, eat food which has been cooked well and drink only bottled water. For up to a month after having an acute disease, you should refrain from all alcohol, and alcoholic drinks must not be consumed during the illness itself. The best solution is not to drink until your doctor tells you that your liver is functioning normally again. If you are having acupuncture sessions done, or if some body piercing, tattooing, and similar procedures are going to be performed on you-make sure that only sterilized or disposable needles are used during the procedure.
Usual dosage
- Dandelion root, 500 mg two times daily.
- Licorice, 200 mg thrice daily for a max of ten days. Licorice can raise blood pressure. Do not use DGL form.
- Milk thistle, 150 mg thrice daily.
- Vitamin E, 400 IU daily. If you take anticoagulant medications, check it with a doctor.
- Vitamin C, 1,000 mg thrice daily. If diarrhea develops, reduce the dose.
- Alpha-lipoic acid, 200 mg thrice daily.
- Lipotropic combination, two pills two times daily. It should contain choline, milk thistle, inositol, and other ingredients.
For kids
See age-appropriate dosages of herbal remedies
The root of the dandelion herb is traditionally used in strengthening liver function. Children can be given a single dose of the herb in the form of an herbal tea or as an extract, thrice every day, for up to a month of continuous treatment during hepatitis infections. The Echinacea and goldenseal combination herbal formula can be given to children to help boost their immune system functioning-these herbs boost the immune systems performance. In addition to this affect, both the herbs used in the herbal combination formula are antiviral and bactericidal in action. Children can be given a single dose of the formula, two times every day, for a treatment regimen lasting a week. After this initial week has passed, the treatment must be discontinued. The treatment using the same dosage can be repeated again in cycles of one week each for up to two months of repetitions. If hepatitis has been brought about because of the consumption of toxic mushrooms, herbal extracts of the milk thistle-botanical name Silybum marianum, can be effectively utilized-all other types of liver inflammation and disease can also be treated using this herbal extract. Children can be given a single dose of this herbal formula, either in capsule or tincture form, thrice daily as treatment during the acute phase of hepatitis. Once this stage has been crossed, dosage of the herb can be dropped to a single dose taken every day for a month to help recovery and tissue renewal. The functioning of the immune system can also be strengthened and bolstered by the herbal remedy made from the minor bupleurum during infection from hepatitis. Liver function is also known to be specifically promoted by this herb. Children can be given a single dose of the herb, two times every day, for a treatment period lasting two weeks at a time.
For your information: children who are down with a fever or suffering from any other sign of an acute infection must not be given minor bupleurum in any manner. The herb must be used as an herbal supplement only during the recovery phases from the disease.
Other beneficial herbs
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