HEPATITIS B:

The virus that produces hepatitis B is probably 100 times more infectious than the VIH virus.

In some cases it does not produce hepatitis with jaundice but can turn into a chronic disease and the the person infected may become a carrier without realising it.

It's easy to detect this virus and please remember that it can be prevented with a vaccine.

 

Read more about this disease that we see very often here in Open House.

What causes hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is caused by a virus called HVB

How can you catch the virus?

Hepatitis B is spread by contact with infected blood, semen or other bodily fluids. It is much more infectious than the HIV virus.

You can catch hepatitis in the following ways:

• having sex with an infected person without using a condom
• sharing needles for drug injection
• having a tattoo done or piercing with dirty instruments that have been used on other people
• by a needle-stick injury (health care workers have been exposed to hepatitis B this way)
• sharing a toothbrush or razors with infected people
• travelling to regions where the hepatitis B rate is very high. Although this does not necessarily mean that you will be infected it does increase the risk if an accident should occur
• Mother to child transmission during labour or via breast milk

What are the common symptoms of hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B can make you feel like you have flu. You may feel tired, have nausea, fever, loss of appetite, stomach pains or diarrhoea. Some people show darkened urine, light coloured stools or yellow eyes or skin.

Many people have no symptoms at all. If you are worried about any of these symptoms please call us.

How can a hepatitis B infections be detected?

It is easy to detect this virus or see if you have antibodies against the virus by doing a blood test. We can do these tests here in Open House with results in 48 hours.

Is hepatitis B dangerous?

Acute Viral Hepatitis occurs in about 90% of cases and results in a complete cure, but in about 10% of cases it may go on to produce a chronic hepatitis which can damage the liver in the years that follow the original infection.

How can you protect yourself against this disease ?

Above all use a condom. It's a simple message that is applicable to other sexually transmitted diseases. There is also a vaccine. If you are not sure if you have been vaccinated, write to us and you can discuss this with our doctor.

HEPATITIS C:

Hepatitis C is a disease produced by a virus, however its transmission and the chances of producing disease is very different from hepatitis B. Hepatitis C is transmitted via infected blood:

• poor sterilisation of instruments (dentistry or podiatry etc.)
• by a needle-stick injury (health care workers have been exposed to hepatitis C this way)
• sharing needles for drug injection
• acquire the infection from mother to child in women infected with hepatitis C
• via sex

Occasionally transmission is sexual ; it probably only represents 2.7% of all cases; and is most likely to occur if there is any bleeding. It's important to remember that this virus can be transmitted during fisting parties when there is a high risk of transmission from one person to another. There have also been cases of infection after sharing dildos which were not washed properly. However it is right to say that most hepatitis infections occur by blood to blood transmission.

Very occasionaly hepatitis C can be caught through tattoos or piercing if instruments are not sterilised properly.

¿What are the most common symptoms of hepatitis C?

Most people have no symptoms at all . However, some will feel flu-like symptoms, others include tiredness, nausea, itch, fever, loss of appetite, pain in the liver or diarrhoea.

It is advisable to contact your doctor if you have any of these symtpoms, and we're here to help you if you are worried.

How can hepatitis C be detected ?

It is easy to detect whether you have developed antibodies to hepatitis C by doing a blood test. In Open House we can do this test and have the results back in just 48 hours.

What is the natural progress of hepatitis C infections ?

Following an acute phase around 20% of infections are cured spontaneously, and the rest become chronic infections. The acute phase is considered to last 3 to 6 months but may go on for a year, as it is true that some spontaneously resolved cases have occurred in this period. Physical symptoms like jaundice are rare, and the tiredness associated with hepatitis C may go unreported. Sharp medical eyes may prompt investigation if the patient has low mood. This may go on 20 or 30 years without any changes in liver function tests. Thereafter, fibrosis of the liver may occur or even cirrhosis, which can even become liver cancer over a long period of time.

Liver cancer occurs in less than 5% of patients with hepatitis C, and many have the disease for more than 30 years without developing important changes in the liver. Another important group of those infected may have no signs of any kind of disease and with liver markers that are normal, and in these 30% of cases the prognosis is much better. The prognosis is also much better the sooner the disease is detected, independently of the level of virus in blood, infact the viral load does not affect how the disease progresses and only changes the infectiousness of each patient.

There are now new treatments for chronic infections, but prevention via a condom or gloves for each partner when fisting can reduce the risk on sexual infection.

If you have any questions about hepatitis B or C or the tests we do, please write to us at: