Hepatitis A (HAV)

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) causes acute liver disease. 15% of people infected with HAV may have prolonged or intermittant symptoms over a 6-9 month period.

Hepatitis A can affect anyone, including household contacts. Transmission is fecal/oral, often through infected food. HAV is found in the stool (feces) of an infected person and can be transmitted through oral contact of a contaminated object. Contaminted objects and surfaces may appear clean on sight but may harbor HAV.

Vaccination is the best protection along with good hygiene (washing hands properly and often).  After infection or vaccination, a person is immune for life.

A fact sheet from the CDC is available.

An additional list of links provided by the CDC is available, including maps, surveillance tables, educational materials and vaccine information.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause serious disease to the liver, including cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death. About one-third of persons show no signs or symptoms after infection. However, chronic infections can occur, where a person is continually infectious to others; 15-25% of the these persons with a chronic infection die from liver disease.

Transmission is through blood; sex, sharing works (injected drug syringes, cookers, cotton, etc.), sharing tubes, straws or rollled bills when snorting drugs, tattoing/piercing without sterile ink, tubing and tools/pokers, blood exposures on the job or infection from an infected mother to the baby during birth. Prevention is through vaccination, administered in a series of doses. Some people may be allergic to certain preparations of the vaccine.

Asian and Pacific Islander Americans represent more than half of the approximate 1.5 million chronic HBV carriers. Those Asian and Pacific Islander Americans born outside of the US should seek testing. Many of these immigrants have not been tested and are unaware of their hepatitis status. The Asian Liver Center of Stanford University is a national leader providing education and promoting testing of this population at risk.

A fact sheet from the CDC is available.

An additional list of links provided by the CDC is available, including maps, surveillance tables, educational materials and vaccine information.

Hepatitis C Virus

Hepatitis C virus can cause liver disease. This disease can be profound, leading to cirrhosis, liver cancer or failure and the need for liver transplant. Disease may extend over a decade or several decades.

In every 100 persons infected with hepatitis C:

• 85 have a lifetime infection and can infect others throughout their life.
• 70% will develop chronic liver disease
• 15% will develop cirrhosis over a period of 10 to 30 years
• 5% may die from long term infection. (source)

Alcohol use among HCV-positive persons should be completely avoided, as alcohol use greatly increased the likelihood and the onset of liver disease by HCV.

HCV is found in the blood of persons who have the disease. HCV is spread by contact with the blood of an infected person. Transmission is through blood. Never share works (injected drug syringes, cookers, cotton, etc.), get a tattoo or piercing without sterile ink, tubing and tools/pokers (and from an unlicensed artist.) Transmission occurs by those snorting drugs using shared straws, tubes, and rolled dollar bills. HCV can be transmitted through unprotected sex, used razors, toothbrushes and other personal items.

Avoid blood exposures on the job. Infection may occur from an infected mother to the baby during birth. Expectant or potential mothers should be tested.

In Ohio, more than 200,000 are estimated to be infected with HCV. Most of these are chronic infections and are not showing symptoms of infection.

In recent testing by the Ohio Department of Reform and Corrections, 22-24% of prisoners on intake (on arrival) were infected with hepatitis C virus.

There is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C virus.

Treatment for HCV can be very uncomfortable, even painful. Many cannot complete the months long treatment. Some make it through treatment, only to be reinfected by repeating risky behavior with infected persons.

A fact sheet from the CDC is available.

An additional list of links provided by the CDC is available, including maps, surveillance tables, educational materials and vaccine information.

Hepatitis D Virus

Hepatitis D virus is a defective virus such that it needs the hepatitis B virus present to exist and cause liver disease. Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is found in the blood of persons infected with the virus.

A fact sheet from the CDC is available.

An additional list of links provided by the CDC is available, including maps, surveillance tables, educational materials and vaccine information.

Hepatitis E Virus

Hepatitis E can cause liver disease. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is transmitted in much the same way as hepatitis A virus, through oral-fecal contamination, eating or drinking contaminated water or food. Hepatitis E, however, does not occur often in the United States. Travelers to South Asia and North Africa and other developing countries should be aware of the risk. Good hygiene and avoiding uncooked foods can prevent infection.

A fact sheet from the CDC is available.

An additional list of links provided by the CDC is available, including maps, surveillance tables, educational materials and vaccine information.